


this is me trying

by argentoswan



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Firelord Iroh (Avatar), Lu Ten (Avatar) Lives, M/M, Misunderstandings, Moon Spirit Sokka, Pining, Slow Burn, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, no seriously he does not know how to interact with cute boys, so much mf pining, sokka is Not Happy with this arrangement, zukka nation come get y'all's juice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 73,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26089129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/argentoswan/pseuds/argentoswan
Summary: When Sokka was born, the moon spirit saved his life. Now, three years after Fire Lord Iroh ascended the throne and called for an end to the war, arrangements are made for a union to ensure lasting peace between the nations- a marriage between Prince Sokka of the Northern Water Tribe and Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. As the two princes struggle to find equal footing, rebels still loyal to Ozai threaten to bring an end to the fragile peace through any means possible.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 692
Kudos: 1938
Collections: A:tla





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I initially saw the idea for moon spirit Sokka on [peachieflame's Tumblr](https://peachieflame.tumblr.com/) and thought "that, but add in a dash of arranged marriage." Check her out on Tumblr or see my favorite of piece of hers [here](https://peachieflame.tumblr.com/post/622247542553559040/zukka-royalty-au-where-sokka-is-northern-water)! Give her all the love for blessing us with this concept.

PROLOGUE

The prince was born into silence. The delivery went smoothly without any complications on behalf of the mother, but when the midwife took the baby into her arms she wondered at how closely he resembled the practice dolls she had used in training. The boy’s eyes stayed closed. His dark skin looked oddly pale in the light reflecting off the blue ice surrounding them. He didn’t cry, or move, or do anything at all while he was wiped off and swaddled in furs. They touched a piece of ice to his foot to test his reflexes, and he didn’t so much as stir. It was as though he’d been born fast asleep.

Kya knew from the expressions of the women around her, from the silence of the room, what had happened. She cried quietly as she watched one of the younger healers pass the bundle off to the head midwife, who then brought it over to place in the mother’s arms. Kya curled her tired fingers into the fur and looked down at her son.

“He’s breathing,” she murmured, and he was- somehow, impossibly, the baby’s mouth was open, releasing infrequent, shallow breaths.

The healers looked at one another. “Yes,” the midwife started uncertainly, “but, my lady-”

“He’s breathing.” Kya sat up, grimacing as a wave of lingering pain shot through her abdomen. The closest healer moved forward, hands reaching out to press Kya back down against the bedroll, but Kya shook her off and stood on shaky legs.

“He’s breathing,” Kya said again, because hadn’t they heard her the first time, why were they just standing there? She had to look away from their expressions, from the pity and the sympathetic understanding there. They didn’t understand anything.

She stumbled across the room, clutching her son to her chest, and threw aside the curtains in the doorway. She had felt the first contractions just before sunset, and now it was late in the night or early in the morning, depending on your perspective. The moon was high in the sky. It wasn’t quite full, but Kya could feel in her chest that it would be within the next few days.

Hakoda, who had been waiting outside for the first sound of his son’s cries as per custom, tore his gaze from the stars as he turned to his wife. “Kya, what are you-” He froze, wide eyes fixed on the furs in her arms. His devastated expression was softened by the moonlight. 

Kya shook her head, fighting back the emotion she felt building in her throat. “He’s still breathing,” she whispered, and then turned to push through the snow, going towards the center of the city.

Hakoda didn’t question where she was going. He fell into step beside her silently, casting frequent, worried looks at his exhausted wife and the bundle she was clutching.

The baby still did not cry.

Kya hadn’t put shoes on, and her feet were numb. It felt like she was walking on two bricks of ice, and she stumbled, feet catching on the hem of her nightgown. Hakoda wrapped a warm arm around her, keeping her upright and pushing her gently on to give her the momentum she needed to keep going.

Kya walked up the stairs in a daze. Her body was aching where it hadn’t been numbed by the chill, but the only thing she could think was he’s breathing, he’s still breathing, please let him be breathing. She couldn’t bear to check if it was still true.

She yanked on the handle to the small door and stepped through into the oasis. The air warmed, prickling her cold skin painfully. Her frozen feet hit the grass and she almost lost her footing, but Hakoda caught her.

“Kya,” he said softly, but Kya shook him off and pushed forward, eyes fixed on the water shining in the ground ahead of her.

The moon shone down on them, painting the thick grass and flowering bushes in shades of pale blue. Kya reached the pond and fell hard to her knees.

“Please,” she gasped out. The fish in the pond continued to circle one another, tails flapping lazily as they moved together. Kya fumbled over the furs with numb fingers, drawing them away from her baby’s face. He still looked as though he was fast asleep. His breathing had gotten even shallower, so that Kya had to strain her ears to hear the weak sound.

She pulled him fully out of the furs and clutched his bare body close to her chest. She took a deep, shuddering breath, pressed her mouth to the top of his head, then tilted her gaze up to look at the moon hanging above her.

“Please,” she whispered. “Lend him your strength.”

She remembered the feeling she got when the full moon rose, like each muscle in her body had been pulled taut, poised for action. She tried to channel that rush of power through her into her baby, to lend his small lungs enough strength to keep him alive, but now she couldn’t hear his thin, rattling breaths.

Kya heard the grass ruffle behind her as Hakoda approached, and then sat down behind her. She drew on his steady presence, his quiet strength, and took a deep, stuttering breath as she lifted the child from her breast.

“Tui and La.” She lowered the baby down slowly, very slowly, into the pond. He didn’t stir when he hit the water, but Kya kept a careful hand cupped behind his head as she bowed her own to the fish still circling one another a few feet away. “I come to you on my knees on behalf of my son. Please- save him.”

The baby was completely still in the water. The fish continued their dance. Above them, the moon stared down, the only other observer on the scene.

Kya was crying again. Her hands shook as she held her son in the water. She could feel Hakoda’s uncertainty behind her. He wasn’t sure how long he should let this go on.

Then, one of the fish peeled away from the other. Its white scales shimmered under the water as it swam towards Kya and the baby floating lifeless in her hands. Kya stared as it paused beside the boy’s head and stayed there as though waiting for something.

Kya’s shoulders were trembling. She said one last silent prayer, then lowered the boy fully into the water, pressing his head down beneath the surface.

“Kya,” Hakoda said from behind her, alarmed. Then he stopped, watching with disbelief as the fish flicked its tail to push forward and nudge the boy’s head, and a brilliant white light flooded the pond. Kya kept her hands firm under the boy’s body, up to her elbows in the warm water. The pond glowed, lit up like the surface of the moon.

As she watched, the baby’s thin, dark hair began to shine, and then slowly turned white as though ice was creeping across it. The fish was swimming again, curving around the boy’s body in a slow, deliberate circle. When it reached the crest of his head it twisted towards the darker fish, crossing the pond and slipping back into its place in the circle.

Kya felt movement under her hands. She lifted the baby out of the water. As it broke the surface, a shrill, ear-splitting screech disturbed the peace around them, and Kya let out a sob of relief, pulling the baby close and hugging it tight.

“Shh,” she murmured as he cried against her chest. “You’re alright now.”

Hakoda moved forward to kneel beside her, his eyes wide. Kya lifted the baby away from her so they could see his face, and together they peered down at their son.

Strands of wet white hair clung to the top of his face. He was alive, so alive, wriggling in Kya’s hands as he continued to wail. His eyes were open. They shone brilliantly blue against his dark skin, the same color as sunlight dancing off the surface of the ocean. 

Hakoda reached out to press his fingers against the boy’s damp cheek. His other arm curled around his wife’s waist, shifting her weight onto him so she could fall back against his chest, their baby still cradled in her arms.

“He’s perfect,” he said, staring at his son with something far past adoration.

Kya lifted her exhausted face up to the moon overhead. It shone down on the small family, on the baby still crying and quivering with his first real breaths.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

In the pond, the two spirits circled one another. Tui and La, push and pull, and on the shore, a baby with a heart kept beating by the will of the moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait until I finished my other Zukka fic to post this one, but I have a few prewritten chapters for this and I literally couldn't wait any longer to at least post the prologue. Regular updates will be coming very soon!
> 
> Every time you leave a comment my skin gets clearer, help a girl out <3


	2. sokka i

SOKKA I

Sokka brought his spear up to block the attack, grunting loudly. He kept his elbows loose to absorb the impact, using the momentum to tilt his weapon and step to the side, shoving his opponent’s spear off of its course. He took advantage of the opening to jab towards Kinuk’s exposed right flank. Kinuk blocked it at the last minute.

Kinuk jumped back, raising his spear to the centerline and pointing it at Sokka. Sokka mirrored him. Despite the chill air he was slick with sweat under his tunic.

“Excellent, Sokka,” Kinuk said as they circled one another. He flicked his dark hair out of his face and grinned at him, a little feral. “Now see if you can hit me.”

Sokka tightened his grip on the wood and leapt forward, aiming towards Kinuk’s left shoulder. Kinuk dodged easily, stepping aside and thrusting at Sokka’s side. Sokka brought his spear down to block it, then stepped to the side and blocked Kinuk’s next jab as well.

“Come, my prince.” Kinuk struck at Sokka’s hip, very nearly landing a blow. “Surely you must be going easy on me.”

Sokka grit his teeth, and only through sheer force of will did he refrain from rising to the taunt. The next time Kinuk struck, he kept a close eye on his movements, and- there, just as he’d thought. Kinuk had strained his arm earlier this week in a friendly brawl, and even though it had mostly healed he was holding his elbow a little too stiffly to compensate for the lingering pains.

Sokka rolled out of the way as Kinuk’s spear struck the ice. He popped back up into a crouch, grinning at Kinuk as the other man regained his footing.

“Only out of respect to your dignity, dear Kinuk,” he said.

Kinuk scowled. He approached Sokka with enhanced aggression, raising his spear to aim a could-be incapacitating thrust at Sokka’s shoulder. Sokka waited where he was, crouched in the snow until the last possible minute. Then he ducked low and brought his spear up, calculating the angle in his head, and threw all of his weight up into the block.

He felt Kinuk’s elbow give out. His weapon flew from his grasp, and in the next second Sokka had the tip of his spear pressed to Kinuk’s neck. They stayed there a moment, frozen, chests heaving as they panted for air.

Behind them, someone started clapping. Sokka lowered his spear and turned to see Hakoda standing just inside the entrance of the training room. “Very well done, Sokka,” he said, looking pleased as he approached them.

Beside Sokka, Kinuk swept into a low bow. Sokka planted the butt of his spear in the ice and leaned against it, grinning at his father.

“Thanks, Dad,” he said. He looked at Kinuk and said, “Good round. Hey, if you’re really nice to me I’ll let you train me next week, too.”

Kinuk, who had been looking with disapproval at Sokka’s spear stuck in the snow, raised his head to scowl at him.

“You’re too reliant on cheap tricks, Prince Sokka,” he said.

“Kinuk, you should know by now that if you have any weaknesses, my son will find them and use them to his advantage.” Hakoda smiled at Sokka. “He gets that from me.”

Sokka ground his spear harder into the ice, ignoring Kinuk’s grimace. “Yeah, it really is your fault for getting into that fight with Durmik,” he said.

Kinuk huffed. He stooped down to pick up his spear, bowed shortly to Sokka and then to his father, then spun on his heel and stalked out of the room.

Hakoda watched him go, eyebrows raised. “You really should stop antagonizing your trainers, Sokka.” He looked back to his son. “Pick your spear up.”

Sokka yanked his spear out of the ice and twirled it around to brush snow off it. “I’m just having a bit of fun.”

“Any more of your fun and Kinuk will be asking me for a raise.” Hakoda was smiling, but he looked tired. His hair was pulled up out of his face and he was wearing his Chieftain robes, which meant he must have been in some pretty important meetings before this that Sokka hadn’t been aware of.

“Long day?” Sokka asked.

Hakoda chuckled. “Always,” he said. “And it’s not over yet. I still have to meet with my advisors about our trade with the Earth Kingdom. Omashu is requesting more routes.”

“Omashu is landlocked,” Sokka pointed out.

Hakoda sighed. “Yes,” he said. “I know.”

Sokka reached up to run a hand over his ponytail, making sure it was still intact. He was still exhausted after all that exercise, but his breathing had steadied. “Did you need something from me?” he asked when the silence began to stretch on.

Hakoda blinked like he’d been lost in thought. “Oh,” he said, “yes, actually. I was wondering if you would dine with me tonight.”

Sokka laughed a little. “We eat together every night, Dad,” he said, thinking of the group meals they took in Hakoda’s tent.

“I thought it could be just the two of us, actually,” Hakoda said. “Your sister is joining the Avatar for a private dinner.” When Sokka raised his eyebrows, he clarified, “A private dinner supervised by your grandmother and Pakku.”

Sokka pulled a face. “Yeah, I’ll stick with you,” he said. He narrowed his eyes at his father. “Am I in trouble?”

Hakoda chuckled. “No,” he said. “There are a few matters I wish to discuss with you, however.”

“Which ones?”

“Patience,” Hakoda said. He reached out to pluck at the sleeve of Sokka’s sweat-stained tunic. “Now go change before your grandmother catches you like this. I’ll send for you when dinner is ready to be served.”

“I’m not scared of Gran Gran.”

Hakoda smiled. “That makes one of us,” he said. He turned and started walking towards the exit. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

Sokka watched him go. He twirled his spear a few more times, spinning it idly as he crossed the room to the weapons rack. He tucked it back in with the others, trailing his fingers along the smooth wood.

He did end up going to switch into new clothes (not because he was afraid of his grandmother; he was just a little cold). He pulled on a tunic that would be nice enough for whatever conversation his dad wanted to have later and sat down at his desk. He reached up to untie his hair, shaking it out so it was a cloud of white on top of his head. His bangs were already tied off to the side in a short, tight braid that Katara had redone for him a few days ago. He scooped the rest of his hair back into a loose ponytail, then snatched his fur coat and gloves off of the floor and hurried towards the exit.

He burst through the purple curtains, then shouted in surprise as Gran Gran stepped away just quickly enough to avoid collision.

“What have I said about running inside?” she said, glaring at him. She had a basket of laundry tucked onto her hip and a very cross expression on her face.

Sokka smiled at her with as much charm as he could manage. “Sorry, Gran Gran,” he said. “Hey, do you know where Katara and Aang are?”

“Yes,” Gran Gran said. She was still scowling. “I’ve half a mind not to tell you, though.”

“Aw, Gran Gran,” Sokka said, pursing his bottom lip out in a pout. “But you love me.”

“A fact that haunts me to this day.” Gran Gran turned away to continue down the hall. “They’re at the North Bridge,” she called over her shoulder.

Sokka grinned. “Thanks!” He spun around to run through the rest of the house.

The sun was hanging low in the sky, bright and warm. Fresh snow had fallen last night, and it shone blindingly white around Sokka as he headed down one of the paths towards the heart of the city. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked, whistling to himself and kicking at lumps of snow. As he got closer to the heart of Agna Qel’a, he smiled and waved at people that recognized him (which was everyone in the city- Sokka kind of stuck out like a two-headed seal pup). Most bowed their heads as they passed with the kind of casual respect that Sokka had grown comfortable with.

He found Katara and Aang where Gran Gran had told him they would be, on the North Bridge. They were standing very close together by the wall, peering down at the river below them. He watched Aang bend even further over the ledge, bald head shining in the sunlight, and a moment later he said, “Haha, I got one!”

He stepped back, raising his hands. A bubble of water followed his movements, held still with impressive precision. Inside, a fish was swimming in circles, apparently unconcerned about its new habitat.

Katara looked at it closely. “Three points.”

“What?” Aang asked, affronted. He spotted Sokka and eagerly thrust the ball of water through the air at him. “Sokka, isn’t this fish big enough to be worth five points?”

Sokka resisted the urge to bat it away. “I’d say it’s a solid ten, easy,” he said without looking at it.

Katara glared at him. Her dark hair was tied back into her usual braid, and she had a pink flower tucked behind her ear. Sokka didn’t even know where that could have come from. He guessed there were perks to dating the Avatar.

Aang guided the water and the fish carefully over the edge of the bridge, depositing it back into the river. “We’ll just call it a tie, sweetie,” he said to Katara. She smiled and touched his shoulder, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.

“Ugh,” Sokka said, putting a hand across his eyes to block them out. “Stop being nasty.”

“We were here first,” Katara said. “Go away if you don’t want to see it.”

Sokka dropped his hand and frowned. “But I’m bored,” he said. “Plus, you guys are ditching me for dinner, so you have to be nice to me right now.”

“What do you mean, Sokka?” Aang asked curiously. “I thought we were all eating at your grandmother’s place tonight? That’s what Chief Hakoda told us.”

Sokka tipped his head back and groaned. “Dad set this up so I would _have_ to have a private dinner with him. I am so in trouble for something.”

“He probably just wants to talk to you about our next trip to the South Pole,” Katara said. “You’re not going to be able to go every year for much longer.”

Sokka tried not to feel too disappointed about that. He loved his visits to the small village his mother had grown up in, but he knew that one day he would have to start attending more of his father’s obligations in preparation for taking up the role of chief after him. Not that he didn’t find that work interesting, because he did. It was nice to make the trip with his family, however, especially because weird stuff always happened when they went to the South Pole.

Three years ago, he and Katara had taken a boat out for their first solo fishing excursion and had come back with an airbender. Sokka had sort of been hoping they’d find some secret fifth element he could bend on their next trip.

“Hey, cheer up, Sokka.” Aang grinned at him, bouncing up onto his toes. “Katara and I were going to practice under the full moon tonight. You should come watch!”

“Not that the idea of watching you and my sister splash water at each other in the dark doesn’t sound super fun,” Sokka said, “but I think I’ll pass. Thanks, though.” 

Aang shrugged. Katara slipped an arm around his waist and he threw his around her shoulders, tucking her in close to his side. “Suit yourself,” he said. “Have fun with your dad!”

"Don’t freak out,” Katara advised as she and Aang walked past him.

Sokka spun around to call after them, “I never freak out!” Katara’s laughter floated through the air back to him, and Sokka glared at their retreating backs.

“I am not freaking out,” he said to himself. He turned to rest his elbows on the icy ledge, dropping his chin to his hands and frowning down at the water flowing underneath him.

It was probably about the South Pole. It would suck if his dad told him he couldn’t go this year, but Sokka would deal. Staying behind might mean that he would be able to spend more time with his dad, too, which was always a plus. And he’d learn more about what it meant to be chief.

Sokka found himself nodding along to his own thoughts. Yeah, this was going to be fine.

X X X X X

“Would you like more stew, Sokka?”

Sokka shook his head. “I’m good,” he said, swirling his spoon through his dinner. Hakoda ladled another serving into his bowl, then put the spoon back into the pot hanging above the fire in the center of the room.

“You’ve been progressing well in spear training,” he said, sitting back down on his pillow across from Sokka. He had changed out of his formal clothes into a much more comfortable tunic, and had let his hair down loose across his shoulders. “I was impressed earlier.”

Sokka grinned. “Thanks, Dad,” he said. “You know, since I’ve mastered the spear-”

"I wouldn’t go that far,” Hakoda said, scooping up a bite of his stew.

“Since I’ve mastered it,” Sokka said in a louder voice, “I wanted to ask you if it might be- prudent- to find a master for me.”

"Are you having a problem with Kinuk?”

“No,” Sokka said. He pushed around a piece of cooked seal meat, watching it disappear into the broth at the bottom of his bowl. “Kinuk’s skills are limited to more traditional weapons, though.”

“And of course, you wish to stray from tradition.” Sokka looked up from his dinner. His father’s smile was kind and a little bit amused.

“I’d like to learn swordsmanship,” Sokka said, lifting his chin high. “From an actual master, not Bato and his sharp sticks.”

“Hey, Bato’s very proud of his sticks.”

“Dad,” Sokka complained, and Hakoda chuckled.

“You know, Sokka,” he said, “there aren’t many masters of the blade in Agna Qel’a. Or the North Pole, for that matter.”

“Send for one, then.”

Hakoda scooped up another spoonful of stew, frowning thoughtfully at it. “I’ve heard there are a number of excellent swordsmen in the Fire Nation.”

Sokka raised his eyebrows. “Sure,” he said. “I was thinking more along the lines of an Earth Kingdom master, though.”

“You have as much to learn from the Fire Nation as you do from the Earth Kingdom,” Hakoda said. He looked as unimpressed as he always did when Sokka expressed his disdain for the Fire Nation. Sokka wasn’t sure how his father could blame him- up until a few years ago, they’d been at war with them. Things had improved a few years ago after the new Fire Lord had ascended the throne and called for international peace, but as grateful as Sokka was that they weren’t trying to torch his people anymore, he felt like he deserved a bit of skepticism about getting too close with any of them.

They had, after all, torched a lot of his people.

Sokka didn’t say any of this. He wasn’t in the mood to debate politics tonight. “I know,” he said instead. “I just thought it might be nice to visit the Earth Kingdom. Hey, I could go see Toph for a few weeks! I’m sure the Beifongs know someone who would take me on.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself again, Sokka.”

“What’s wrong with me taking a trip to the Earth Kingdom?” Sokka asked. “It’s not like I’m doing anything here.”

Hakoda’s expression became touched with a hint of discomfort. “Actually, Sokka, that was something I wanted to discuss with you tonight.”

Sokka’s heart jumped. He swallowed back his nerves and grinned at his father. “Is this the part where you yell at me for something?”

Hakoda smiled. It looked a little strained. “Of course not,” he said. “Sokka, you understand that, as the next in line to be chief of the Northern Water Tribe, you have certain duties, correct?”

“Sure,” Sokka said, trying not to let his disappointment show. This was about the South Pole, then. If Sokka wasn’t allowed to go there anymore, there was no way his dad would let him spend a few weeks in the Earth Kingdom. He’d have to convince him to bring someone here to train Sokka. Maybe he could tell Toph to ask her parents for a list of acceptable swordsmen.

“And you understand,” Hakoda said, “that sometimes those in charge have to sacrifice certain connections for the betterment of their people?”

“Lotta big words, Dad,” Sokka pointed out with a frown. Hakoda only got wordsy when he was trying to stall. “What is it?”

Hakoda met his gaze evenly. His dark eyes were a little bit solemn, and Sokka was starting to grow nervous again.

“I’ve told you before that you may one day need to marry for political reasons,” Hakoda said.

Sokka set his bowl down on the ground. “An arranged marriage, you mean.”

Hakoda nodded.

Despite himself, Sokka’s heart fluttered. He frowned at his father. “I’m not marrying Yue unless she’s ready for it.”

The corners of Hakoda’s lips pulled down. “You won’t be marrying Yue, Sokka,” he said. “Or anyone from the South Pole, for that matter.”

“What?” Sokka asked, taken aback. Whenever discussion of his future prospects had come up, the general consensus had been that he would marry someone high up in the political sphere of the South Pole, to ensure a tighter connection with their sister tribe. Although intermixing between the two tribes had been common a century ago, the war had brought that to a quick halt. There hadn’t been another Northern and Southern marriage until Sokka’s father had fallen in love with his mother.

Now there was Sokka, the next Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, and Yue, daughter of the Southern Tribe’s chief, almost the same in age. The match was certainly more advantageous than his parent’s had been.

Even before knowing what they would one day be asked to do, Sokka had always nursed a bit of a crush on Yue. She was kind and beautiful, and always made time for Sokka when he came to visit. He was almost certain that she liked him, too, which he thought was wonderful luck considering their future betrothal.

“Three months ago, we received another offer for your hand,” Hakoda said.

Sokka pushed himself to his feet and glared down at his father, suddenly unable to sit still. “Three months ago? Why am I only hearing of this now?”

Hakoda at least had the decency to look apologetic. “I wanted to finalize the arrangement before I said anything to you. There were a lot of details that needed to be considered. That was what my meetings earlier were about, actually.”

That explained Hakoda’s exhaustion, then. “Who is it, then?” Sokka crossed his arms, trying to look irritated instead of nervous. Tui, if he had to marry one of the Earth King’s irritating cousins that had come to stay with them several years ago, he’d have to have several words with his father and his advisors.

Hakoda straightened his shoulders back. When he spoke, it was with the authority of a chief. “Prince Zuko, nephew to Fire Lord Iroh.”

Sokka froze. He stared down at his father. His father stared back.

“I’m sorry,” Sokka said, shaking his head. “You’ll have to repeat that. For a second I thought you said I got a marriage proposal from the Fire Lord’s nephew.”

“Sokka-”

“Are you crazy?”

Hakoda raised his eyebrows. “Watch your tone, Sokka.”

“But that’s,” Sokka said, flinging his arms out, “I can’t- I’m not going to marry someone from the Fire Nation!”

“And why not?”

“They’re-” Sokka flared his nostrils, trying to find a description that wouldn’t make his father angry. “They’re not- I just can’t, Dad!”

“You told me you would uphold your duties as our next Chief.”

Sokka curled his hand into a fist to hide his shaking fingers. “The Fire Nation killed Mom,” he spat, because he’d never learned to hold his tongue.

Hakoda stared at Sokka, his expression suddenly very blank. For a moment there was no sound except for the crackling of the fire. Sokka could feel its heat on the side of his face.

“The Fire Nation killed many people,” Hakoda said after several seconds of silence. “Now we have a chance to help prevent that from happening again. It’s your duty to protect your people, no matter the cost.”

Sokka dropped his gaze. He scowled down at the fur rugs on the floor.

“What are the terms?” he asked.

“You will travel to Caldera for the wedding,” Hakoda said. “You and the prince will spend your first year together in the Fire Nation, so that you may become familiar with their customs and endear yourself to the people. Then, you will both return to the North Pole so that you may reassume your duties here.”

“A year?” Sokka ran his hands over his face, pressing his fingers against his eyes, so hard he saw spots. He felt a headache coming on. “Why can’t I just come back after the wedding?”

“The whole point of this is to improve relations with the Fire Nation. I’ve heard the prince is quite popular amongst his people. They won’t take kindly to you simply plucking him out of his palace and disappearing.” Hakoda leaned back on his hands, regarding Sokka closely. “Besides. I think it might do you good to get to know the Fire Nation a bit better.”

Sokka ignored the slight. He turned away from his father, gazing at the wall. There was a mounted bear’s head hung there, mouth open in a snarl, eyes glassy.

A year in sort-of enemy territory, and then he would return with an unknown prince in tow. Sokka understood the strategy behind it. With a member of the Fire Nation’s royal family residing permanently in Agna Qel’a, and in such a high position as husband to the Chief, their chances for lasting peace were further secured. They were taking the fire prince in as collateral.

Just because Sokka understood why it had to be done, it didn’t mean he had to be happy about it, though.

Sokka had grown up understanding that he likely wouldn’t be able to marry who he chose, but he had at least thought that he would be able to learn to love who he was matched with. With Yue, he wouldn’t have to do very much learning at all.

Now, though, Sokka was going to have to marry a Fire Nation prince. He wrapped his arms around himself, digging his fingers into the fabric of his tunic.

He would never grow to love him.

“Sokka.” Hakoda’s voice was very close to Sokka, and Sokka jumped, not having heard him get up. He turned to his father, who was watching him with a concerned expression.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “If I could have declined, I would have.”

“How long do I have?” Sokka asked.

Hakoda sighed. “We leave in two weeks.”

“Two-” Sokka couldn’t bear to meet his father’s sympathetic gaze. He looked at the fire, at the flames licking up the sides of the stew pot like they were trying to devour it entirely.

“Well,” he said. “I’ll have to excuse myself from dinner. I need to start deciding what to bring with me.”

Hakoda put his hand on Sokka’s shoulder. He squeezed it tightly. “I’m proud of you, Sokka.”

Sokka’s lips twitched faintly. “Thanks, Dad,” he said.

He turned and left, leaving his father standing there, staring after him.

X X X X X

Sokka leaned over the ledge of his window, face turned up to the full moon. He shut his eyes, basking in the cool white light. Far away, he could hear the distant sound of the ocean, of the high tide pulling the water close and then pushing it away. He could feel the tides the same way he could feel the fullness of the moon- like a faint pressure in his chest, like energy winding around his body and sitting poised to strike.

His mother had told him that waterbenders felt this connection to the moon as well, but despite her hopes Sokka had never developed his sister’s skill for bending. Even though Sokka had been protected by the moon since birth, even though he shared part of his life force with it, the gift had passed him over.

He opened his eyes to gaze at the moon. “Why’d it have to be the Fire Nation?” he asked. He would have been fine if his father had chosen a nice Earth Kingdom noble. It could have been fun to spend a year in Ba Sing Se. Instead, Sokka was going to be stuck in the capitol of the Fire Nation- in the Fire Lord’s palace- trying to convince everyone that he was worthy of taking a prince he didn’t even want from from them.

Sokka slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the small frame that his father had sent to his room. It was a portrait of the prince that Fire Lord Iroh had offered to give them some idea of what they were working with. Sokka stared down at it, trying very hard to consider it objectively.

The artist had obviously been talented. Despite the small size, the brush strokes were precise, painting a picture of a young man standing in front of deep red tapestries. He was handsome, Sokka supposed, in that stoic, prissy way royals tended to be painted. Sokka took in the dark hair, tied up in a topknot and secured with a red ribbon, and his eyes, gold and steady as they gazed up at Sokka, and couldn’t decide how much of it was real and how much had been flattery on behalf of the artist.

The one thing that clearly wasn’t sugarcoated was the burn scar on the left side of the boy’s face. It covered his eye, disappearing into his hairline, and made his expression so much harsher that Sokka feared what it would look like if he smiled. Sokka stared down at it, dark red against the prince’s pale skin, and tried not to think ill towards him.

He knew it was unfair to judge a person by their scars- Tui only knew that his own people had plenty amongst themselves from the war- but Sokka was afraid, just a little bit, of this prince, this unknown variable in Sokka’s life.

Less than three weeks, and he would be married to him. Sokka knew that it was purely transactional, but he couldn’t help but mourn the loss of agency in his own decision-making.

He reminded himself once more that it was for the good of not only his people, but their sister tribe as well. He had the opportunity to help secure lasting peace for them all. Despite his personal feelings about the matter, he couldn’t feel sorry for that. He had promised that he would do everything he could to protect them, and this marriage was a very small price to pay in comparison to the safety it would bring.

Sokka flipped the portrait over, setting it down deliberately on the ledge so he could no longer see the prince or his blank stare. He raised his eyes back to the moon, which winked down at him, low and heavy in the star-studded sky.

“I won’t love him,” he said to it. The moon stared balefully back down at him. Sokka pressed his fingers against the cold ice of his window ledge and felt the tides in his chest, pushing and pulling as if to soothe.

They could make him marry the prince of the Fire Nation, but they couldn’t make him love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen, classes started yesterday and i am in desperate need of serotonin so here’s the first chapter whoops! 
> 
> thank you for your support for this fic, your comments and kudos mean a lot a lot!!


	3. sokka ii

SOKKA II

The sun shone high in the sky, beating down on the back of Sokka’s neck. The wind whipped around him, carrying with it the taste of salt from the seawater far below. He kept his gaze fixed on the land slowly taking shape in the distance, rolling green mountains and, rising above it all, the sloping crest of a volcano. Nestled at the foot like a jewel at a noblewoman’s throat were looming gates, and beyond that, the dark shapes Sokka knew would grow into Caldera City as they approached.

He draped himself over the ship’s railing, glaring towards the capitol. The heat was already blistering, so unlike the cold terrain of the Poles or even the dry climate of the Earth Kingdom it felt like they had sailed into another world. Sokka was dressed from head to toe in his nicest furs, all in shades of pale blues and purples. He had tied his hair back with extra care, weaving braids and beads into it before scooping it back into a neat ponytail. He was sweating like crazy, but he wouldn’t be able to change until the ceremonial aspects of his arrival were finished.

Sokka plucked at the stitching on his white gloves. They were close enough now that he could see the twin spires of the gates rising from the water to greet them. They couldn’t be more than a half hour out.

Someone came to stand next to him, leaning up against the railing. Sokka kept his gaze trained on the encroaching city.

"How are you doing?” Hakoda asked.

Crewmen were shouting behind Sokka, distributing orders for their arrival. “Fine.”

Silence fell. Sokka couldn’t recall a time where conversation hadn’t flowed easily between him and his father. The last two weeks, however, had brought with them too many awkward pauses to count. Hakoda didn’t seem to know what to say to him, and Sokka had no interest in helping him figure it out.

“It’s alright to be nervous,” Hakoda said quietly.

The waves were pounding a steady drumbeat against the sides of the ship. Sunlight glinted off the surface of the water, shining like a thousand diamonds embedded in the currents, almost blinding.

Sokka pushed himself away from the railing. “I’m going to go check my luggage,” he said, turning from his father.

Sokka’s quarters were a floor below the deck. He walked down the creaking stairs, pressing back to make room when a member of the crew rushed past him.

He reached the end of the hall and opened his cabin door, shutting it tight behind him once he’d slipped inside. He stared at his room. The few possessions Sokka had taken out during their journey had been put away, leaving it small and bare. His trunks and bags were stacked up against one wall to be carried to the palace after they docked.

Sokka crossed the room to the circular mirror hung on the wall. He stared at his own reflection. He tried to smile at himself but couldn’t quite do it.

He didn’t know how much time passed while he stood there, looking at himself and trying very hard not to think about what the rest of the day would bring. Eventually, someone knocked on his door, and Sokka went to open it.

“We’re only a few minutes from docking now, sir,” said the crewmen who’d been sent to get him.

"Thank you.”

He left. Sokka curled his hand around the doorknob and walked out into the hall without looking back.

The deck was a flurry of activity when Sokka climbed back up. Somehow, it had gotten even hotter, and the high afternoon sun beating down on them was almost boiling the air around them. He could hear the shouts of the crewmembers to lower the sails and ready the gangplank.

Sokka went to stand at the railing again and felt his heart climb into his throat. They had passed through the main gates and were quickly approaching the docks of Caldera. He could see a crowd gathered there, hundreds and hundreds of people, could hear their shouts and cries carrying across the water. They were a sea of red, like a blister.

Hakoda came to stand next to him, and this time he didn’t try to speak. Despite himself, Sokka couldn’t help but feel comforted by his steady presence. They stood there together, watching as their ship drew up alongside the docks. Workers rushed to greet them, catching the ropes their crew tossed down. The crowd was overwhelmingly loud now.

“Come, Sokka,” Hakoda said, drawing away from the side of the boat.

Sokka took a deep breath. Time to make a good first impression.

Hakoda disembarked first, leading the way down the gangplank with guards trailing behind him. Sokka listened to the crowd’s cheers escalate from his place still on the deck. He tugged at his fur collar, trying to find some respite from the stifling heat, and then stepped up to mount the gangplank.

The sound from the crowd almost knocked him backwards. He froze for a moment, and would have stopped completely if it hadn’t been for the two guards on either side of him. They were carrying their spears low, there for decoration more than anything else.

Sokka pushed his shoulders back. He walked down the plank, gazing out across the crowd. Some people were holding flags painted with the gold insignia of the Fire Nation, waving them in the air. They glinted under the harsh sunlight, and even though Sokka knew they were being displayed in honor of his arrival, he felt a familiar cold fear grip his heart at the sight of them.

His father was waiting on the docks, speaking with a man decked out in very expensive-looking red robes. As Sokka approached them, the man turned and dropped into a low bow.

“Prince Sokka,” he said to the wooden deck. Sokka had to strain to hear him over the crowd. “My name is Risao. I’m one of Fire Lord Iroh’s chief advisors, and I’m here to welcome you to Royal Caldera City.”

Hakoda glanced at Sokka, eyebrows raised. Sokka swung his hands awkwardly at his side and said, “Uh, thank you. I’m… excited to be here.”

Risao lifted his head. His dark hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and he had a thin goatee trailing down to his chest. He smiled at Sokka, his expression surprisingly kind.

“The Fire Lord and Prince Zuko are expecting you at the palace,” he said. “We have prepared a palanquin to escort you there. Please, follow me.”

He turned to walk down the deck. Sokka fell into step beside his father, with the guards falling back to walk behind them.

“Did you tell them I have two fully functioning legs?” Sokka asked his father in a low voice as they approached the palanquin at the end of the dock. It was huge, dressed in rich red fabrics and trimmed with gold. Four guards dressed in light tunics (lucky bastards) stood at each corner, hands clasped behind their backs.

“Save the commentary for when we get to our private quarters,” Hakoda said.

The guards drew aside the curtains for them, revealing two plush seats. Hakoda climbed in first, and Sokka followed, trying to mount as gracefully as possible. He fell back against his seat and then looked down at Risao.

“Do you need to squeeze in?” he asked, glancing at the sparse space between himself and his father.

Risao’s eyebrows climbed a little higher. “No, my lord,” he said. He sounded faintly amused. “I have arranged for an alternative method of transportation.”

Sokka’s cheeks felt even warmer than the rest of him did. He sat back against his seat as the guards dropped the curtains closed, shielding them from the prying eyes of the crowd. A moment later there was a lurch around them, and Sokka felt the palanquin being lifted.

“Quite the turnout,” Hakoda noted as the crowd continued to roar around them.

Sokka crossed his arms and stared straight ahead at the red fabric. “You’d think it was a funeral.”

“Sokka-”

“I know, I know,” Sokka said. “Save it for later. Got it.” He tugged on his heavy furs again and said, “I’m going to die of heat stroke.”

“It’s tradition, Sokka. You can change as soon as we finish with introductions. Please stop touching your hair.”

Sokka dropped his hand from the beads he’d been tugging on and turned away from his father to hide his scowl. He leaned forward and reached out to hook a finger around the curtain, quirking it aside just far enough to peek out at the crowd.

They had lined up along the edges of the streets as though for a parade. Buildings stretched behind them like a landscape, red and gold with the flared roofs favored by the Fire Nation. The people themselves were not so much cheering anymore as they were pointing at the passing palanquin and shouting to their neighbors.

Sokka dropped the curtain and leaned back against his seat, staring straight ahead. Around them, the people of the Fire Nation continued to stare and murmur. 

They traveled in silence for a very long time; Caldera was a large city, apparently. Finally, the noise began to quiet down, petering out as they left the residential areas of the city and moved closer to the palace. 

When Sokka felt the soft bumps of the palanquin being set down on the ground, he straightened up, curling his fingers against the soft velvet of the seats. 

A hand settled on his shoulder. Sokka looked at his father, who was gazing at him intently. After a moment’s hesitation, Sokka flattened his lips grimly and nodded at him. 

The curtains drew apart on. Sokka twisted back around to look straight ahead and blinked into the sudden sunlight, which was overwhelmingly bright after sitting so long in the shade.

Hakoda stood up gracefully, and Sokka followed suit the best he could. They had been placed down in the center of the plaza outside the front steps of the palace. Around them, the elegant, swooping architecture of the heart of the Fire Nation rose high into the sky, stretching towards the sun. Despite his efforts to remain impartial to the proceedings around him, Sokka couldn’t help but be awed by the quiet strength in the building. It was a lot less flashy than Sokka had expected, and much more impressive. It felt steady, as though it had existed for centuries and would exist for many, many more. 

Their guards spread out on either side of them at a respectful distance. Other guards had come to fill in the gaps between them, all dressed in shades of red, and the glimpses he got of the blue standing tall beside them did nothing to ease the feeling Sokka suddenly had of being surrounded. 

Waiting directly in front of them near the front entrance to the palace was a small group of people. They all bowed as Sokka and his father approached them. They were dressed in rich robes with pointed red and gold hats. 

“Chief Hakoda,” said the man closest to the front. He inclined his head to Sokka. “Prince Sokka. We are here to escort you to the Fire Lord’s throne room. Please, follow us.”

They turned to file through the gaping front doors. Hakoda and Sokka followed, and Hakoda must have seen the confusion on Sokka’s face, because he leaned in close and murmured, “The Fire Sages.”

 _‘Fire Sages,_ ’ Sokka mouthed to himself incredulously. 

The inside of the palace was just as impressive as the outside was. The walls loomed around them, inlaid with large golden sconces filled with flickering flames. Their footsteps echoed loudly against the black marble under their feet.

The Fire Sages led them deeper into the palace, turning corners into longer, still-empty stretches of corridors. Finally, they arrived at a pair of giant golden doors engraved with the image of a coiled dragon. Its scales rippled with the flames pulsing in the sconces on either side.

A pair of guards grasped the handles and pulled it open. The Fire Sages led the way into the room, fanning out in long lines on either side of Sokka and his father, leaving them to walk the center of the room alone.

The throne room was large and well lit by fires lining the walls. Columns were interspersed throughout the space, and opposite the doors they had entered through was a long dais. Painted on the wall behind it in shades of rich gold was another dragon- they were very serious about their theming, apparently- twisting around and around to settle directly above the massive throne. Inlaid into its eyes were two huge rubies that glinted at Sokka as they approached it.

There was a single figure sitting on the throne, and another standing beside it. When they reached the foot of the stairs leading up the dais the Fire Sages stopped and dropped to their knees. They pressed their foreheads to the ground, spines curved elegantly towards the cold marble.

“Fire Lord Iroh,” said the one who had greeted them earlier, directly on Sokka’s right. “Prince Zuko.” He rose to his feet, tucking his arms behind his back. The other Fire Sages followed suit, keeping their heads inclined towards the throne. “I present to you Chief Hakoda of the Northern Water Tribe, and Prince Sokka, heir to the Chiefdom of the Northern Water Tribe.”

The man on the throne stood up. He was a short man with grey hair tied out of his face, a neat beard, and sideburns. His elegant red and brown robes trailed behind him as he walked down the steps, approaching them. His face was round and lined, and he was smiling as he raised his arms in greeting. He didn’t look much like the monster Sokka had envisioned the Fire Lord to be throughout his childhood. 

“Chief Hakoda.” He drew close enough to extend a hand to Sokka’s father. “It is an honor to formally meet you.”

Hakoda grasped the Fire Lord’s hand. “Fire Lord Iroh,” he said. “The honor is mine.”

Iroh released his grip and turned to Sokka. His eyes were dark amber, and his expression was kinder than Sokka had anticipated as he said, “Prince Sokka. I have heard so much about you.”

His eyes flickered briefly to Sokka’s white hair, and Sokka tried not to visibly react. He knew that tales of his birth had spread throughout parts of the Earth Kingdom- there was one small village that worshipped him as an extension of Tui, and periodically sent him letters professing their devotion to him that Gran Gran always confiscated- but he had hoped to be spared from the questions he’d inevitably be asked to answer in the Fire Nation. 

Sokka crossed his arm over his chest and bowed at the waist, dropping into a traditional Northern Water Tribe bow in respect to Iroh’s position. “We’re grateful for your hospitality, Fire Lord Iroh.” 

“Please,” Iroh said, “allow me to introduce my nephew, Prince Zuko.”

Sokka lifted his head, finally daring to look at the other person that had come to meet them. It was definitely the boy from the portrait he’d been sent. He looked much younger than the artist had made him appear, closer to Sokka’s age. He had dark hair tied back in a neat topknot, and he was dressed in sweeping red robes that did a great job at hiding his actual figure. In the flickering light from the fires, the burn scar splashed across his face was especially pronounced. Sokka couldn’t help but stare at it, distracted from the rest of his analysis by the mounting horror growing in his throat. What the hell could have done _that_ to a firebender? 

The prince inclined his head to them, then raised his eyes to look at Sokka. They were a deep, molten gold color, and the undamaged one glinted like a cat’s might. His expression remained smooth and impassive as he said, “Welcome to Royal Caldera City.” 

His voice was quiet and raspy, softer than Sokka expected. He had to listen closely to hear it in the echoey chambers. 

Iroh placed a hand on his nephew’s shoulder and beamed at them. “As much as we would love to begin the festivities immediately,” he said, “I’m sure you are both exhausted from your journey. The Fire Sages will show you to your rooms; take as much time as you need to settle in. It would be an honor if you would join me and my nephew for a private dinner tonight.”

“We look forward to it, Fire Lord Iroh,” said Hakoda. 

Zuko was still staring at Sokka, the corners of his mouth turned down in a frown. Sokka gazed back at him, trying to keep his expression cool and unbothered, and then pointedly turned away when the Fire Sages on either side of them began to file back out the way they’d come. 

Sokka hadn’t realized how much tension he’d been holding until they left the throne room. He relaxed his shoulders back, taking a slow, steadying breath as they walked back out into the relative brightness of the halls outside. He glanced at one of the thin windows set into the stone wall, grateful for the glimpse of sunlight it brought him.

They followed the Sages through another series of hallways and swooping stairwells. This time, they weren’t alone; servants dressed in simple tunics stopped as they passed, pausing in what they were doing to bow to them with baskets of laundry and trays of food balanced on their hips. It was nothing like Agna Qel’a, where Sokka felt like he could wander amongst his people freely without causing any sort of disruption. Here, everyone stopped in their tracks to drop into respectful poses as they passed, and Sokka felt decidedly uneasy by the time they halted in front of a polished wooden door. 

“Your quarters, Prince Sokka,” said the head Sage, gesturing towards it.

“What about my dad?” Sokka said without thinking. He knew, logically, that he and his father would be given separate rooms, but he hadn’t prepared enough for the reality of being left alone in this foreign place. 

“The Chief has been given a room in our finest guest wing,” said the Sage. “You have been given quarters in the Royal Family’s wing, as per the instructions of the Fire Lord.”

Hakoda reached out to grasp Sokka’s arm and squeeze it. He smiled reassuringly at him. “I won’t be far,” he said. “I’ll see you for dinner.”

Sokka swallowed down the pressure growing in his throat and nodded. 

The Sages walked away, bringing his dad with them. Sokka watched them go, then turned to the heavy wooden door. He grasped the metal handle and pushed it open, stepping inside and immediately closing it behind him.

Sokka stopped and stared. The room- a suite, really- was ginormous. Plush red carpeting cushioned his feet, and the cream-colored walls were draped with fine red and gold tapestries displaying different designs, often incorporating the three-pronged flame of the Fire Nation insignia or coiling dragons. A large open area in the center of the room had a few plush couches and a low table arranged in an entertainment area, and against the far wall on a small raised dais was the largest bed Sokka had ever seen, trimmed in gold and surrounded by thick red curtains. Sokka walked over to it, footsteps silent on the carpeting, and reached down to press a hand to the silk duvet. It was smooth and cool under his fingers, the mattress beneath soft but firm.

A set of double doors on the wall opposite the entrance opened up to a small balcony. Sokka went to look at it, stepping out into the bright sunlight. His room looked out over the plaza they had arrived at, which was now teeming with people. Various official-looking people and servants walked to and from the palace, all dressed in reds and browns, conducting whatever business they had in the warmth of the sun. 

It was still boiling hot. Sokka backed away from the balcony, grabbing one of the thick curtains hanging on either side of the door and pulling it across the opening to block out the sunlight. He yanked off his gloves, scowling down at his trembling fingers, and flung them in the direction of the bed.

His trunks had been stacked against one wall. Sokka walked over to them, reaching out to lay a hand against the cool wood. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine that he was hundreds and hundreds of miles away, in his own room surrounded by ice instead of this oppressive, humid heat. 

X X X X X

They took dinner in the Fire Lord’s private chambers. Sokka had been allowed to change out of his thick traveling furs, thankfully, and into a nice blue tunic his grandmother had made for him, tied at the waist with a white fur sash. His father was the one who came to fetch him, and together they walked in silence down the hall to the door they’d been pointed towards. 

One of the Fire Sages was waiting for them in the hallway. He looked them over, eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and then nodded in approval. The guards stationed on either side of the door stepped aside, allowing the Sage to turn the handle and step inside.

“Chief Hakoda and Prince Sokka, my lords,” he said, bowing his head low.

The Fire Lord’s chambers were large and spacious. They seemed to be in some kind of central sitting room, which was decorated generously with large tapestries and beautiful landscape paintings. A massive marble fireplace sat against the far wall, flickering with warm flames. It wasn’t much different than Sokka’s quarters aesthetically, but it felt far homier.

There was a low table in the center of the room surrounded by cushions. Fire Lord Iroh and Prince Zuko were already seated, cross-legged, heads bowed close together. Iroh looked up as Hakoda and Sokka entered, expression brightening with a smile. Zuko kept his gaze trained on the cup he was clutching with both hands, his lips twisted down into a frown.

“Chief Hakoda, Prince Sokka.” Iroh spread his hands to them. “Welcome. Please, take a seat!”

The Fire Sage kept his head bowed as he backed out of the room. The doors closed behind him with a neat click as Hakoda and Sokka crossed to the center of the room.

“Would you care for a cup of tea?” Iroh asked as they sat down, lifting the teapot in the center of the table.

“Please,” Hakoda said. Sokka just nodded, folding his hands in front of him and trying to ignore Zuko as hard as he seemed to be trying to ignore Sokka. 

“The servants will be by soon with dinner.” Iroh poured a measure of steaming tea into the cup in front of Hakoda’s, and then leaned forward to fill Sokka’s as well. “But I always brew my own tea. Not everyone knows how to get the perfect temperature. Right, nephew?”

“Yes, Uncle,” Zuko said without looking up. 

Iroh set the teapot back down. Sokka picked up his cup and said, “Thank you, Fire Lord Iroh.” 

“You’re welcome,” Iroh said with a smile. He glanced at Hakoda. “I trust your quarters suit you both?”

“They’re wonderful,” Hakoda said. “Far different from anything we have back home.”

Now _that_ was an understatement.

“I’m sure it is.” Iroh lifted his tea, blowing across the surface to dissipate the steam. “I have heard many tales of Agna Qel’a’s beauty. It is a dream of mine to see it in person.”

“You are welcome at the palace any time.”

“I may take you up on that, Chief Hakoda,” Iroh said, eyes shining in the firelight.

There was a knock at the door. “Enter,” Iroh called out, and a moment later a line of servants filed into the room, all carrying trays of food. They set their spoils down on the table, and Sokka couldn’t help but stare at the plates of roasted meat and vegetables and rice. He didn’t recognize much of it, but his stomach twisted with a sudden hunger he hadn’t even been aware of. He hadn’t eaten since earlier that morning on the ship, and even then he’d been too nervous to have a proper serving. 

When the servants left again, Iroh clapped his hands together and said, “It would be a shame for discussion to delay this delicious meal a moment longer. Please, help yourself!”

Sokka stayed his hand long enough for the Fire Lord and his father to start first, and then reached for the nearest plate of meat. It had been a week-long journey to Caldera City and the fare on the ship had mainly been comprised of dried jerky and pickled vegetables. He didn’t know what was on his plate now, but the prince and the Fire Lord were eating it, too, so it probably wasn’t poisoned. That’s all Sokka needed to know for right now.

“I’ve been told that the Avatar will be joining us for the wedding,” Iroh said.

“Yes,” Hakoda said, using his chopsticks to pick up a bite of spiced rice. “He and my daughter will be arriving by sky bison later this week. They plan on staying for the wedding and then continuing onto the Earth Kingdom to begin meeting with potential earthbending teachers. Avatar Aang has mastered waterbending, and as soon as he is sixteen he will go to master earth and fire as well.” 

Sokka shoveled a piece of what looked like chicken into his mouth. It was covered in a sweet, sticky sauce that had a faint spice to it. Not bad at all.

“I look forward to meeting him,” Iroh said. He sipped from his tea. “Your daughter- she helped with the Avatar’s waterbending tutoring, correct?”

“Both she and the Avatar studied under Master Pakku,” Hakoda said. “Katara is an especially skilled waterbender, however, and has done her best to help Avatar Aang along his journey.”

Iroh smiled. “You must be quite proud of her.”

“I am,” Hakoda said, inclining his head towards him.

Sokka plucked up a piece of broccoli, and almost dropped it when Iroh swung his gaze in his direction. “We have heard many stories of how you and your sister found the Avatar in the iceberg,” he said. “Prince Zuko and I would be delighted to hear the tale from your perspective.”

Sokka doubted that, because Prince Zuko hadn’t looked up from his plate for the last five minutes, and continued to avert his gaze even when directly addressed. Sokka was beginning to feel less and less generous towards this strange prince, who seemed uninterested in everything and everyone around him. 

“Of course, Fire Lord Iroh,” Sokka said. Despite his growing irritation towards Prince Zuko, he _definitely_ wanted to make sure that he made a good impression on the Fire Lord. If they were on good terms, there was less of a chance he’d get tossed into some boiling hot dungeon if he messed anything up. “My mother was from the Southern Water Tribe, so my sister and I try to visit at least once a year. On one of our trips three years ago, we took out a fishing boat on an excursion. We were far out in the waters, and my sister, ah- was demonstrating her waterbending to me.”

Actually, Katara had been yelling at him because Sokka had left the fishing spear on the shore, and then tried to convince her that it had been her fault. Sokka remembered her standing in the boat, throwing her arms around and slinging her water magic all over the place until the iceberg behind her had split in half.

Then it had started to glow. That’s when things had gotten really weird.

“She opened an iceberg, and we found Aang and his sky bison, Appa, inside it. We brought him back to the Northern Water Tribe to discuss his options with our father, and he decided to stay with us until the time came for him to master the other elements.” 

The fire crackled happily in the fireplace, illuminating Iroh’s charmed smile. “What an incredible story,” he said. “Just when the world had given up hope on the Avatar ever returning, he returns to us as a beacon of hope. I am grateful that he will be here to witness this new era of peace between the nations.”

“We’re all grateful, Fire Lord Iroh,” Hakoda said. The blue beads in his hair knocked against one another as he leaned forward to pick up the pitcher of water in the center of the table. “I must also say that we’ve been very pleased with the work you’ve done as far as reparations go. It’s clear you’re committed to making lasting peace with the other nations. You have the Northern Water Tribe’s gratitude for that.”

“Please,” Iroh said. He set down his chopsticks, suddenly looking very serious. “Your gratitude is appreciated, Chief Hakoda, but ultimately unnecessary. My family has done terrible things over the course of this war, and the people of the Fire Nation have suffered themselves as a result of it. Anything that I can do to ensure enduring prosperity for my nation and those around the world, I will do. It’s my duty to protect my people. Peace is in everyone’s best interests.”

Sokka stared at him. He knew, from his father’s meetings with their advisors and the official missives Fire Lord Iroh had sent to the leaders of the nations, that the ruler was committed to peace.

It was one thing to know it in the abstract, and another thing entirely to hear it in person, spoken by the man with the five-pronged flame glinting in his topknot.

“That’s just one reason that I am thrilled that you accepted my proposal on Prince Zuko’s behalf,” Iroh continued. He beamed at Sokka. “This match will be greatly beneficial to both of our nations. I think it will make quite a fortuitous pairing!”

Sokka looked at Zuko out of the corner of his eye to find the prince was already staring at him. His eyes were very gold and very flat, and although he wasn’t frowning anymore, he also wasn’t smiling. It was clear that he didn’t share his uncle’s conviction in the positive prospects of their union, and Sokka felt a spike of annoyance. It wasn’t like _he_ was looking forward to it, either, but at least Sokka was trying his best to be polite.

“I’m eager to do what I can to ensure peace for my people, Fire Lord Iroh,” Sokka said, nodding his head towards him.

Hakoda shifted on his cushion. Across the table, Prince Zuko tilted his head back, regarding Sokka down his sharp nose, and didn’t say a word.

They finished the rest of their meal quickly, passing the time with casual small talk, mostly between Hakoda and Iroh. Iroh seemed very interested in Agna Qel’a, and kept up a steady stream of questions directed both at Hakoda and Sokka. Sokka might have been suspicious had the questions not centered mainly around the architecture of the city. Iroh was fascinated by the idea of a city built entirely of ice, and delighted in Hakoda’s explanations of how waterbenders had managed it all those years ago.

Prince Zuko contributed only a handful of words throughout the night, and when he did speak (always in response to a direct question, never of his own volition) his answers were short and quiet enough that Sokka had to strain to hear. Sokka kept a close eye on him as the night stretched on, trying to get some kind of read on the guy, but the prince’s expression was carefully blank and he didn’t so much as glance at Sokka after that initial stare. 

Sokka wished Katara were here, or even Toph. They were much better at reading people than he was. He was trying really hard to maintain some shred of positivity, but the only message he was receiving from the fire prince was one of extreme disinterest. 

Whatever. It’s not like they actually had to get along to be married. It was marriage only in the loosest, most political sense of the term. 

At some point servants entered again to clear the table, and Iroh served up a final pot of tea. The fire was dipping languidly in the fireplace and Sokka’s eyes were heavy by the time he and Hakoda stood up to return to their own chambers.

“Thank you for joining me and Prince Zuko,” Iroh said, walking them to the door. Zuko trailed behind him, gaze fixed on his feet, and Sokka had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. “I am eager to continue our discussions when we have all received a good night’s rest.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Fire Lord Iroh,” Hakoda said, dropping into a respectful bow.

Iroh nodded. “Please,” he said, “if you need anything at all, do not hesitate to let me or one of my staff members know. You especially, Prince Sokka.” Iroh smiled kindly at him. “The Royal Palace is your home now. Feel free to make yourself comfortable.” 

Sokka opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. Instead he nodded, sank into a low bow, and pointedly didn’t look at Prince Zuko. 

Hakoda walked Sokka back to his room in silence. It was late, and the halls of the palace were dark and deserted. The building felt empty around them, and Sokka knew that he would be getting very little sleep tonight. 

They stopped outside of the door to the quarters that Sokka had been given (in the family wing of the Fire Nation’s palace, Sokka’s brain helpfully supplied. He wondered how far the prince’s room was from his). For a moment, neither of them said anything, but blinked owlishly at each other in the semi-darkness. Strained moonlight crept through the tall windows opposite them, casting Hakoda in shades of pale blue. The moon was waxing, working its way slowly back up to the full moon but not fully present yet. Sokka could feel its absence in his chest like a dull, empty ache. 

“Will you be alright?” Hakoda asked.

Sokka couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter. “Sure,” he said. “As long as no one sneaks in and lights my bed on fire in the middle of the night.”

Hakoda didn’t look amused. “Sokka.”

“Kidding,” Sokka said, throwing his hands up in surrender. “Just a joke.” 

Hakoda sighed. “I’m just a few floors away,” he said. “Tell me if you need anything.”

For a moment, something stuck in Sokka’s throat. He had a sudden, childish urge to ask his father if he would stay with him, in his room. Just for tonight. Just for the first night, while Hakoda was still here and not on his way home, halfway across the world.

Instead, Sokka said, “I think I can manage one night alone.” He tugged on the doorknob, opening his room. “See you in the morning, Dad.”

“Goodnight, Sokka,” Hakoda said, turning to walk away down the hall.

Sokka watched him go. Then he slipped into his room, where someone had lit a fire in the fireplace in his absence. It illuminated the room just enough for him to navigate by, and he used its light to walk over to his balcony. He drew the curtains aside enough to peek out at the empty plaza and the empty sky overhead. He could feel a sliver of the moon shining valiantly somewhere, but the clouds were dark and thick, and painted the sky one shade of black. 

Sokka dropped the curtain and turned away, trying not to feel disappointed. He stripped out of his tunic, leaving it crumpled on the ground by the window, and went to crawl into bed.

He was right. He hardly slept at all that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the amazing comments on the last chapter, I'm so glad you all are as excited for this story as I am! Please let me know what you thought below, comments are my lifeblood <3 love you all, I hope you're having a good day/night!!


	4. zuko i

ZUKO I

Prince Zuko was born at night, under the pale light of the full moon. An auspicious beginning for a fire prince, one that made the Fire Sages look to one another and whisper of Agni’s rejection of the boy.

His father stood by and watched as they bowed over his son. He kept his back turned to the scene- his wife, lying exhausted on the bed; the baby, spread out on a table beside her, wailing at the world as he was poked and prodded; the Fire Sages, passing their hands over the child’s bare chest to check his inner flame. 

Ozai ignored all of this. He stared out at the moonlit grounds, glaring up at the stars in the sky, and waited to be told what he already knew in his heart to be true.

“My Lord.” Ozai turned his head just enough to look at the Sage who had approached him. He kept his head bowed low, hands clasped in front of him. Bad news, then. “His inner flame is weak, my Lord. We hope to stoke it through prayer, but-”

“Will he bend?”

The Sage hesitated. “That’s uncertain, my Lord. We won’t know for sure until there is a change in his flame.”

Ozai twisted back around to look out the window. He gazed up at the moon, hanging low in the sky, mocking him. He wished to pluck it out from the dark tapestry above and crush it between his fingers.

“If he cannot bend,” he said, “he is useless to me.”

Ursa made a soft noise on the bed, which was easily ignored. The baby continued to scream, sharp, piercing sounds that grated at Ozai’s ear. Ozai clenched his jaw, and felt the first spark of hatred for his firstborn son nestle deep in his heart. 

Ozai left shortly after that, sweeping away to attend to more important business. The Fire Sages bundled the prince up in rich cloth and placed him back into the arms of his mother. They backed out of the room one by one, keeping their heads inclined until the door was shut carefully behind the last of them.

Ursa clutched the bundle close. She peered down at her son’s face, pale in the moonlight. At his mother’s touch his cries had quieted down into sniffles, and he gurgled faintly in her hold, eyes closed tight.

“Shh,” Ursa murmured. She brought up one shaky finger to brush against her baby’s cheek. “It’s okay. I will protect you. I promise.”

Weeks passed, and the Sages saw no change in the child’s flame. Azulon and Ozai locked themselves away, holding discussions long into the night, and Ursa had been in the palace long enough to not be naive as to what they were planning. Ozai postponed the royal presentation of his son until it could be proven that he would be able to bend. The people of Royal Caldera City whispered of a prince being hidden from them, and wondered behind closed doors whether he would survive the month.

Ursa developed a new habit. Each night she swathed her baby in warm blankets and brought him down to the turtleduck pond in the royal gardens, her one refuge in this foreign, tentative place. She kneeled by the water under the light of the full moon and she turned her face up to the sky and she prayed, to Agni, to Tui, to every spirit she had grown up worshipping or learned about through stories whispered from the elders in her village. She prayed for hours, lips moving in silent hymns, as the baby in her arms cooed and reached his pale fist up towards the moon as if to touch it. 

Ozai came to watch her sometimes, standing in the shadows. He watched his wife murmur over his weak heir, wasting hour after hour, night after night, and that spark of hatred was fanned into a low flame.

Finally- remarkably- the baby woke up one day with a flame beating strong in his chest. The Sages pressed their hands to him and announced in delight that he _would_ bend, and bend well, and Ursa wept with relief. Ozai stayed his hand, and the baby lived to see another sunrise.

The prince was presented to his people shortly after. They gathered in the plaza to watch as the Sages drew a line of ash across his forehead, then raised the squirming baby up to the sun beating down on them from above.

“All hail Prince Zuko,” they called, and the crowd echoed the sentiment, cheering for the survival of their prince. 

Zuko grew up loved by his mother and detested by his father (although he didn’t understand the latter point until much, much later in life). Even once he was joined by his younger sister, his mother continued to privately favor the boy she had prayed over for so many long hours, the one she never quite stopped being afraid for. 

It took him many, many years to be able to produce a flame. Azula did it at the bright age of four, and the Fire Sages murmured to one another about a prodigy, a princess who would make her father and her nation proud.

(Unlike her brother, they did not add out loud). 

Zuko watched this without envy, excited and proud of his sister as she threw up sparks from her pudgy fingers and giggled with him. Ursa watched from the hallway, peering into the room as her son cheered for his sister, and felt cold, familiar fear coil in her chest.

Zuko managed his first flame when he was seven. It was small and weak and he wasn’t able to hold it for more than a few seconds, but he ran to his mother in delight and tried to reproduce it for her. 

“That’s wonderful, Zuko,” Ursa said, beaming down at him. Something in her chest settled; her son would live to see another sunrise.

“It feels so warm, Mother,” Zuko said. The flames fell from his fingers and he smiled up at his mother, his expression adoring. “And my heart feels weird.”

Ursa chuckled and reached down to pluck him up, planting him in her lap. He was growing too old for this, but he was still small for his age, so she was able to wrap her arms around him and rest her chin atop his head easily.

“That’s your inner flame, darling,” she said. 

Zuko’s eyes widened. He looked down at his chest. “Is there a fire in there?”

“No, little turtleduck,” Ursa said. “Firebenders are blessed by Agni, the sun spirit. He gifts them with some of His life force, and sticks it right here-” She poked at his chest, drawing a giggle from him. “That’s the energy that helps you firebend.” 

“It’s warm,” Zuko said.

“It’s a blessing,” Ursa said, thinking of the Fire Sages’ disapproving expressions when Zuko’s flame had been weak. She carded her fingers through his hair, more to soothe herself than him. “Have I ever told you about twin flames?”

“No, Mother.”

“It’s an old story that my village used to tell,” Ursa said. “According to legend, Agni sometimes took one flame and split it in half before giving it to those he blessed. Those two people have the same inner flame; they’re two halves of the same whole. Soulmates, some people call it.”

Zuko perked up. “Soulmates?”

“Two people who were born to be together. Soulmates understand one another better than anyone else in the whole wide world.” 

“Mother,” Zuko said, kicking his feet out excitedly, “do I have a soulmate?”

Ursa smiled. “I don’t know, darling,” she said. “That’s something you’ll have to discover on your own.”

Zuko pressed a hand to his chest as though trying to feel the beat of the flames nestled there. “I hope I have a soulmate,” he said. “I’ll be really, really nice to them.”

Ursa pressed her face into her son’s soft hair. “I know you will, little one.”

Zuko’s father was less interested in the idea of twin flames than his son was. Zuko made the mistake of telling him about it just once, too excited at the idea of having someone out there made just for him to keep it to himself, and Ozai listened with a hard expression before telling his son in no uncertain terms that it was a foolish fairytale.

“There’s no one out there for you, Prince Zuko,” he said coldly, and turned away from his son’s stricken expression.

Later that night, under the cover of the moon, Zuko curled up in his bed and cried. He touched his hands to his chest and felt for the flame there, trying to imagine that somewhere, its twin was beating steadily in the heart of someone else. 

X X X X X

Growing up, Zuko had always been told that his sister Azula had been born lucky, and that Zuko had been lucky to be born.

Despite the fact that the man who had told him that was gone, locked away somewhere deep beneath the palace where he’d never be able to spew any of his hateful rhetoric again, Zuko couldn’t help but privately wonder if he hadn’t had a bit of a point. Just in that statement, and nothing else. 

Azula wasn’t the one who was paraded about in front of nobility as a token of support for the new regime. Azula wasn’t the one who was gawked at whenever she tried to go anywhere, who made children stare and adults flinch at the sight of the ugly scar slapped across her face like a splash of red paint. 

Azula wasn’t the one who was being asked to marry a complete stranger.

No, Azula was holed away somewhere warm, languishing in all the comforts that her status still afforded her. Zuko knew that he wasn’t being entirely fair- the last three years had been difficult for her, too, and he knew from her visits and letters that she detested being so far away from Caldera City- but he couldn’t help but envy her, just a little bit.

Not that Zuko could fault his uncle for any of his decisions. Zuko knew that if he had truly fought back on any of his requests, he wouldn’t have been forced to do them. Iroh was taking as different an approach to being Fire Lord than his father as he could, and that extended to the treatment of his family.

“I think you have had quite enough of being asked to do things against your own will, Prince Zuko,” he had remarked privately one night when Zuko had expressed his confusion at Iroh’s lax list of duties for him.

Still, Zuko bore each of those duties because he was still a prince, and he still had responsibilities to his people. He knew that it was hard for his uncle to have Lu Ten away for so long, and he knew that he was just a pale imitation of that relationship, but Iroh seemed to draw some comfort from Zuko’s company. 

When Iroh had presented him with the idea of the marriage proposal, Zuko had been painfully disappointed to find that he understood the logic. As much as he hated the idea of it- of being betrothed to a strange man from a strange nation, of being asked to _live_ in that strange nation- he saw the move as the stroke of political genius that it was, and resolved almost immediately to see it through. 

Besides, he trusted his uncle well enough to know that if something went wrong, that if this water tribe boy turned out to be cruel or unfair, Iroh would do what he could to end the arrangement. A part of Zuko had hoped that he _would_ be cruel, if only to give him some kind of excuse to protest the union. 

Instead, Zuko had watched his uncle draft letters to the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. He had been allowed to read over the descriptions that the man sent back of his son- his name was Sokka, and he wasn’t a bender, but he was particularly adept with weaponry and strategy. Fine enough on paper, he supposed.

A few weeks before the Chief and his son were due to arrive, they were sent a small portrait of the water tribe prince. It was done on a piece of fine, thick parchment, and although the brush strokes were cruder than anything their royal painter would have allowed, there was an artistic style to it that made the boy come alive on the page. He had dark skin offset by a shock of white hair tied back out of his face. He was posed with a spear held loosely in his hand, dressed in pale blue furs. He was gazing up at them, not smiling, but there was a slant to his mouth to suggest the beginnings of amusement.

Zuko hadn’t known it was possible to be that attracted to a portrait, but there he was, all sharp angles and broad shoulders, and _Agni_ Zuko should be putting up a little more of a fight than this. 

“Does everyone in the water tribe have white hair?” he asked his uncle. He had only seen a handful of waterbenders before, on a tour of a prison his father had forced him to go on many years ago ( _s_ _o he could look into the faces of his enemies, so his father could lean down and whisper poison into his ear, of birthrights and destinies and a future draped in flames_ ). He couldn’t remember any of them having that kind of bizarre coloration at so young an age, however.

Iroh hesitated. “No,” he said. He paused, looking over the picture Zuko was holding. “It seems to be a unique trait.”

Iroh gave him the portrait to keep, and Zuko tucked it away safely in one of his drawers, slipping it between the folds of his tunics where it wasn’t likely to be found. He told himself that he wouldn’t look at it, that he would pass the little time he had left before that portrait became a reality enjoying his freedom, but he found himself returning to it night after night, staring hard at it until he’d memorized each painted line of the boy’s face.

He wondered if he would be kind. Zuko wasn’t going to fool himself into thinking there would ever be any love between them, or even friendship, but he hoped at least they would get along.

The day of the wedding ticked closer. Zuko kept the portrait carefully hidden away, and waited.

X X X X X

Mai’s fingers were steady and sure as they carded through Zuko’s hair. He could feel the faintest scratch of her sharp nails against his scalp as she dragged them through the long strands, and he was privately grateful that he’d worked out any knots this morning, because he knew from experience that she would have just continued yanking until they had eventually been forced to smooth out. 

“Have you picked out your dress for the wedding yet?” she asked.

Zuko tilted his head back further in her lap, glaring up at her. “You’re not helping,” he said, and Mai snorted. 

“Just trying to lighten the mood,” she said. “You’ve been tense for days now.” 

“Gee, I wonder why.”

Mai scratched behind his ear, and Zuko’s eyes slipped shut despite his efforts to maintain his scowl.

“You know, I haven’t even seen this fiancé of yours yet,” she said. “Does he look like his portrait?”

Zuko resisted the urge to sigh. He’d shown Mai the picture of Prince Sokka, which had definitely been a mistake, because she’d asked him what he thought of him and then had taken one look at Zuko’s red cheeks and laughed in his face. 

“Near enough,” he said, even though the actual answer was _no, not at all_.

Prince Sokka’s portrait hadn’t done him anything close to justice. The real thing had walked into the throne room, and Zuko had been so taken aback by his bright blue eyes and easy confidence that he had promptly forgotten everything he was supposed to do or say. Thank Agni his uncle had taken the lead on introductions.

Mai fell silent, content to simply sit there and pet Zuko’s hair. Zuko appreciated this about Mai. With everyone else, Zuko was always expected to talk, always expected to know the right thing to say, to be just charming enough, just informed enough, _enough._ Zuko had never learned how to be enough. He stumbled over his words and fumbled with conversations if they dragged on too long. Sometimes it was nice to just sit with someone and not be expected to say anything at all. 

“Is Azula coming?” she asked after a few minutes.

“To the wedding? No,” Zuko said. “You know how Azula feels about marriage.”

“A fool’s promise begging to implode,” Mai echoed. She tugged lightly on a strand of Zuko’s hair. “You know, I think she might have a point there.”

Zuko opened his eyes just a crack to blink blearily up at her. “As if you don’t have your choice of flowers picked out for you and Ty Lee’s wedding.”

Mai lifted her knee enough to knock Zuko’s head to the side. “Ass,” she said without any heat. 

Zuko shut his eyes again. “At least you get to choose Ty Lee.”

“If I ever try to break up with her, she’ll paralyze me from the waist down. I don’t know if that counts as a choice.” 

Zuko smiled faintly. The afternoon sun was low enough to shine directly through his window, and he could feel the heat across his face. He tilted his head to catch more of the sunrays, feeling the warmth in his chest stir in recognition. He took a deep breath, drawing oxygen towards his inner flame to stoke it, and then exhaled slowly. 

“Mai,” he said, “what if-”

He paused, uncertain of how to continue. Mai continued to stroke his hair and waited patiently for him to find his words.

“I don’t think he likes me very much,” Zuko finally said in a quiet voice. Mai’s fingers paused in his hair. 

“Why would you say that?” 

“He hardly even looks at me.” It was a private fear that Zuko had been nursing for the past several days. He knew that he wasn’t the best at conversation, and he knew that he certainly wasn’t the most attractive person, but every time Prince Sokka’s eyes so much as flickered in Zuko’s direction he got a strange, hard look on his face and turned away immediately. 

Zuko wasn’t a fool. He knew the reason why Sokka would be disappointed to end up with someone like Zuko. He knew that Mai knew it, too.

“Perhaps he’s just shy,” said Mai.

“He’s not,” Zuko said, feeling miserable. “At least, he’s not with my uncle. It’s only me. He can’t even bear to look at me, Mai, how can he be expected to marry me?”

“It will just take time, Zuko,” Mai said. “This is probably just as strange to him as it is to you. Just give him time.”

Zuko didn’t respond, and Mai seemed to take his silence as him agreeing with her. She went back to petting his hair, leaving Zuko alone to his thoughts.

Zuko wasn’t about to delude himself into thinking this problem could be solved with time. When they’d sent his portrait off to the Northern Water Tribe, Zuko had waited anxiously for weeks to hear back from them, to learn that they were calling the wedding off. Zuko had long since made peace with his scar (perhaps not peace- acceptance, perhaps? What stage of grief was that?), but he understood that it made him look frightening. No one in their right mind would want to be with him, at least not publicly.

Somehow, that letter had never arrived. Zuko could only surmise that Chief Hakoda had convinced his son to look past it, if only for the political benefits the union would bring. Zuko wasn’t exactly a catch, but he was a good token for a future Chief to have in his pocket.

Zuko took another deep breath, trying to calm the anxiety stirring in his throat. The prince had been aware of Zuko’s deformity before he had arrived in Caldera. If he’d taken any serious insult to it, he would have called off the wedding by now, especially after seeing the mark in person. Prince Sokka would suck it up and marry Zuko, and Zuko would suck it up and pretend like he didn’t care that he would be spending the rest of his life with someone who was disgusted by him. 

Zuko very, very carefully kept his thoughts away from his mother and the flame beating in his chest, begging him for something more.

X X X X X

Chief Hakoda and Prince Sokka had been there for three days, and Zuko had yet to make a positive impression on either one of them. 

He only saw them in the evenings at dinner, which his uncle continued hosting in his private quarters. It had quickly turned into Zuko’s least favorite part of the day, especially because his uncle was painfully obvious in his efforts to drag Zuko into the conversation. Zuko had half a mind to stop going entirely, because it clearly wasn’t working; every time Zuko managed to muster up the courage to say something, Prince Sokka would twitch, and Chief Hakoda would stare at him, and Uncle Iroh would get this disappointed look on his face like he knew Zuko was fucking it all up for them.

So, yeah. Dinners sucked, but at least he wasn’t expected to entertain either of their visitors during the day. Chief Hakoda was kept busy in long meetings with Iroh and his officials, discussing treaties and borders and trade, and Prince Sokka- 

Zuko wasn’t sure what Prince Sokka did with his time. Regretted his decisions, probably. 

Zuko was more than content to simply ignore his presence until the day of the wedding, when he would inevitably be forced to face reality. Zuko had far more pressing matters to concern himself with, namely the arrival of the Avatar in just a few short days. Zuko had grown up hearing stories of the Avatar, but it had always been framed as a ghost story more than history. Now, not only was he back to oversee the peace of the world (and an airbender, and over one hundred years old), he would be attending Zuko’s wedding as a personal guest.

A personal guest of his _fiancé_. His fiancé, who was a close personal friend of the _Avatar._

Zuko never thought he would feel so intimidated at his own wedding.

Zuko traced the familiar path from his chambers to the training room, the one reserved for the royal family. It was one of the most private places in the palace, and Zuko was hoping to give himself some space to think and hopefully release some of the energy that had been pent up inside of him for the last several days. He had already changed into a loose, thin red tunic, and found himself rolling his shoulders back as he walked, trying to get a head start on his stretches. He wasn’t sure if he would be practicing his katas or working with his training daos, but as long as he was able to move around a bit, he would be content. 

When he turned the corner to the hallway that led to the training room, he was startled to see a group of servants gathered outside the door. It was mainly girls, young ones whispering to one another and peering through the open crack in the door. When they spotted Zuko approaching their eyes went very wide, and they scattered, disappearing down the hall with the speed of people who had been taught through fear to make themselves scarce. The palace staff had gotten a lot less jumpy since Iroh had ascended the throne, but there were still traces of fear that Azulon had trained into them for years.

Zuko frowned, looking after them curiously. There weren’t many reasons for so many servants to come to this room, especially at this time in the day. Shrugging it off as eccentricities of young girls with too much time on their hands, he stepped up to the door, placed his palm flat against it, and pushed it open.

He froze. He had expected the training room to be empty.

It most definitely wasn’t.

Prince Sokka stood in the center of the room on the training mat. He had a spear in his hand, one of the weapons that were kept on the royal family’s rack mainly for decoration, because the Fire Nation didn’t typically train with them. In fact, Zuko had never seen anyone wield a spear seriously before.

It was clear that Prince Sokka was serious about it. Zuko stood in the doorway and stared as Sokka thrust the spear out, low and then high and then low again, and then dragged his foot around to twist and swing it in the opposite direction. He ducked down, bringing the weapon up to block an invisible attack. His movements were precise, calculated, and dripped with skill.

Then he paused, and his head twisted to look at Zuko, and Zuko wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

“Oh,” Sokka said. He straightened up, dropping his spear to let it hang loosely in his hand. “Hi.”

Zuko blinked. Sokka had stopped fighting, but now there was another issue- he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Large windows set high in the walls afforded the room a generous amount of early morning sunshine, and Sokka’s dark skin glistened with sweat under Agni’s generous touch. His shoulders rose and fell as he breathed heavily. Zuko had been able to tell that he was well-defined even under all those furs he had arrived wrapped in, but he hadn’t quite realized the extent of it until this moment.

Fire and ash, he had _tattoos_. Zuko couldn’t see them clearly from this far away, but there was dark ink winding up his arms and across his chest, and he had some kind of necklace hanging around his neck. 

When the silence stretched on, Sokka’s brow furrowed. Zuko cast about for something to say, and ended up blurting out, “This is the royal family’s training room.”

Sokka’s expression soured. Zuko wanted to slam his head into the wall.

“Fire Lord Iroh said I could use it to keep up my training,” he said. He rested his spear on the ground, both hands wrapped loosely around the wood. “I can leave, if you’d prefer.” 

“No,” Zuko said, mortified with himself. “No, I didn’t- it’s fine. You’re, ah, welcome to use it whenever you’d like.” 

Sokka quirked an eyebrow at him. “I was just about finished, anyways,” he said. He waved a hand in the air. “If you were planning on using it, that is.” 

He turned to walk towards the weapons rack, twirling the spear in his hand. Zuko had half a mind to turn around and run back to his rooms, but even _he_ wasn’t that lacking in social skills. 

He walked into the room, feet sinking into the thick pads of the training mat. Sokka slipped the spear back onto the rack.

“You’re well-trained,” Zuko said, deciding to take a stab at conversation. Mai had always told him that girls liked to be complimented. Maybe princes liked that, too? “I’ve never seen anyone use a spear before.” Sokka turned to look at him, and Zuko mentally backtracked. “I just mean, it’s not a very common style, in the Fire Nation, but I’m sure it’s much more common in the- in the Water Tribe.”

“It’s a good weapon,” Sokka said in a cool voice. Zuko felt his cheeks heat up.

“I’m sure it is.” 

Sokka went to the bench on the opposite side of the room, bending down to pick up an article of blue clothing. He slipped it over his head, and Zuko breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the tunic fell down over his chest. 

“We have other training rooms as well, if you’re interested,” Zuko said. “The one in the East wing has-”

“Prince Zuko, may I be frank with you?”

Zuko blinked. “Of course,” he said.

Sokka plucked up a piece of cloth off the bench and used it to wipe his forehead off. He strolled across the room towards Zuko, looking incredibly relaxed despite the sharp frown on his face. Zuko envied his ease, the practiced, confident nature of his movements. 

“I think it’s quite clear that neither of us are particularly happy with this arrangement,” he said. Sokka slung the cloth across his shoulder and crossed his arms, stopping a few feet from Zuko to regard him. “I’m a fan of direct communication, so here it is- if we go into this wedding understanding that it’s simply a political transaction, I think both of our expectations will align well. I don’t care what you do with your time or how you spend it. You don’t have to feel _bound_ to me in any way other than through our titles. We hardly have to speak at all, if that’s what you’d prefer.”

Zuko’s heart was pounding. He curled his fingers and then uncurled them, letting his hands hang at his sides. He knew this was Prince Sokka’s opinion of the whole ordeal, but it was harder than Zuko had expected to have it laid out so plainly before him. 

Sokka raised his eyebrows. “Your thoughts, Prince Zuko?”

“Oh,” Zuko said. “Well- yes, of course. I completely agree, if that’s- what I mean to say is, I don’t care, either. Just a transaction, like you said.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” Sokka said. He didn’t smile, but his expression loosened just a little bit.

“I as well,” Zuko said, feeling vaguely nauseous. 

Sokka nodded like that was the end of it. “I’ll see you at dinner, Prince Zuko,” he said, turning to walk across the room towards the door.

Zuko was so dazed he forgot to respond until Sokka was gone. “See you,” he said to no one, his voice pathetically quiet in the ringing silence. 

Zuko turned away from the door. His hands were shaking, and he scowled down at them, trying to make them stop through sheer force of will. This was so _stupid_. What had Zuko expected- some kind of fairytale ending for him and his betrothed? Nothing good ever came from arranged marriages, and it was quite obvious that Zuko was the last person Sokka would ever consider being with under normal circumstances. 

Agni, Sokka had told him to his face that he thought Zuko should see other people. Zuko didn’t even have other people to _see_. He was certain Sokka did, though, which was probably why he’d made sure to cover that particular base.

Frustrated, Zuko swung his hand out, and a training mannequin across the room caught fire. Zuko let the flames blaze for a few moments before he flicked his wrist to put it out, leaving behind a charred and smoking dummy. He’d have to ask someone to replace that, now. 

Zuko stood there for a long time, feet sinking into the padded training mat. He debated just leaving, returning to his chambers and spending the day making sure that no one came in to speak with him.

Finally, he rolled his shoulders back and slipped into the familiar pose of his starting kata. He might as well blow off some steam while he was here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!! Life update- I got a little red betta fish and named him Zuko and I love him :) 
> 
> Thank you for all the support on the last chapter! This was a really fun one to write- I absolutely love writing from Zuko's perspective. Please leave me a comment letting me know what you thought of it- I live for comments :) Have a good day!


	5. sokka iii

SOKKA III

Sokka wasn’t the biggest fan of the Fire Nation Royal Palace. 

In the days after their arrival Hakoda was kept occupied by the Fire Lord and his advisors, attending meeting after vital meeting to discuss as much as possible before Hakoda left at the end of the month. The discussions were going well, from what Sokka had heard. At the very least Hakoda seemed pleased with the direction they were moving in, although he skirted the specifics whenever Sokka tried to ask.

“You should be spending your time getting to know the palace and Prince Zuko,” Hakoda had said when Sokka requested to join him at a meeting to discuss border control. He’d given Sokka a very pointed look that Sokka rather resented.

It wasn’t like Sokka was the one who avoided both eye contact and conversation with the skill of someone who’s spent years cultivating the practice. Once, Zuko had spotted Sokka walking down the hallway, turned on his heel, and left before Sokka could even say a word to him, like he couldn’t bear to even say _hello_.

Sokka wasn’t about to take any of the blame for the lack of _getting to know Prince Zuko_ that was taking place.

Without meetings to attend or princely bonding events to go to, Sokka’s days were mostly free of commitments. Fire Lord Iroh had given Sokka free reign of the palace, and for lack of anything better to do Sokka was taking full advantage of that invitation. He spent long hours wandering through the wide hallways and finding open rooms to slip into- a startling number of guest chambers, an admittedly impressive bath house, several training rooms with minute differences to differentiate between them. 

Sokka thought the palace itself was actually quite beautiful. He had grown up with the soaring ice sculptures that formed Agna Qel’a’s buildings, and although he’d spent a solid amount of time traveling in the Earth Kingdom with his father once the war had ended, Fire Nation architecture was different from the sturdy, straight lines favored by Omashu or the sweeping green pagodas of Ba Sing Se. The Fire Nation’s palace was large and impressive, with ceilings that climbed high enough Sokka had to crane his neck to look and elegant staircases that spiralled into different wings.

The Fire Nation’s palace from Sokka’s childhood imagination had been dark, lit by red flames and teeming with soldiers. The reality, however, was lined with enough windows that sunlight almost always streamed into the rooms and hallways, and was charming in its faux simplicity.

Sokka liked to complain about things, but he was fair. He took no issue with the palace itself.

It was the people in it Sokka wasn’t particularly fond of. 

He’d made the mistake of going to one of the more public floors of the palace only once. It had been full of servants rushing about and groups of nobles and advisors walking together, heads tucked close. Sokka knew he was a prince, and was used to the casual respect of his people, but that wasn’t what Sokka received here.

The responses his presence invoked varied in severity depending on the status of the person greeting him, but palace officials and servants alike followed the same general protocol upon spotting Sokka.

First, they would stop and stare at him like he was some exotic animal in a travelling circus.

Second, they would bow to him, so low they were parallel to the floor. The noblemen would murmur meaningless greetings to him, and the servants would avert their wide-eyed gazes as though afraid of him.

Finally, as Sokka was walking away, the whole lot of them would break out into whispers. It was as though someone was walking along behind Sokka cracking windows open as they went, letting in a murmuring wind that swirled through the air like one of Aang’s drafts. 

Sokka had stuck to the royal family and guest wings of the palace after that. It was a bit ironic that the fact that some of those people could bend fire wasn’t the thing that made him the most uncomfortable. 

Sokka walked through what he thought was the North Wing, one of the higher floors so as to avoid any unncessary run-ins with the palace staff, and privately thought to himself that there was no way he’d manage an entire year here. Gran Gran had prepared him the best she could with thinner clothing to suit the warmer climate, but even when Sokka was standing in his room in nothing but his undergarments that oppressive heat still clung to him like thick wool. He was dreadfully uncomfortable with the weather, dreadfully uncomfortable with the way the people treated him like some exhibit, and _very_ dreadfully uncomfortable with the idea of marrying a prince who ran away every time Sokka opened his mouth. 

He turned a corner, scuffing his toe against the polished marble floor. That was another thing- everything was always so _clean_ around here. Upkeep must be a nightmare.

The North Wing was the last one on Sokka’s list to explore, so he was taking his time with it. It seemed to be mostly practical spaces- dining and conference rooms, and a large, elegant space for entertaining. 

Sokka thought it was empty, until he drew closer to the end of the hallway and heard voices drifting through the otherwise silent hall. He noticed one of the doors had been left ajar, and he approached it, keeping his footsteps quiet. He could hear a woman’s voice, loud and steady, and the rush of moving fabrics every few seconds.

He paused just outside the gap in the door, tilting his head to try and listen closer. 

“Okay, ladies, let’s try it again- remember, don’t lock your knees or your wrists. You want to be sturdy, but flexible, like a tree branch.”

Heavy, uniform footsteps moved in sync. Sokka tilted his head a little to peek into the room, and blinked.

A group of women in dark green dresses (armor?) were lined up in two neat rows, with one at the front guiding them. They were gliding through practice battle poses and moves, perfectly in sync with one another. They were each holding two slim, golden sticks that Sokka wondered about until they flicked their wrists to reveal that they were metal fans.

“Good,” the woman in the lead called, going up onto one foot and bringing her fan down to thrust outwards. “Bring your elbows in, and-”

She spun around, and Sokka leapt away as something struck the door inches away from his face. He stared in shock at the golden fan embedded like an arrow into the wood. He could see his own reflection in it, startled and wide-eyed, distorted by the gold metal.

“It seems we have a spy in our midst, ladies,” said the woman, and the girls behind her giggled. 

The woman walked over to the door to retrieve her fan, and Sokka noticed that she was wearing white paint over her face, with her features carved out with bright makeup. It wasn’t unlike the warpaint used in the Southern Water Tribe. 

“Prince Sokka,” she said. She wrapped her fingers around the fan and tugged. It came smoothly out of the wood. “What a surprise.”

Sokka glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the girls, all in matching makeup, peering at him curiously. “I’m so sorry,” he said, his face mortifyingly warm. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“That’s alright,” the woman said. “We were nearly done, anyways.” She turned to face the room again and said, “Girls, we’re finished for the day. Cool down for a few minutes and then resume your regular posts, please.” She tilted her head to look back at Sokka, her dark brown eyes sharply assessing. “Would you walk with me a moment, Prince Sokka?”

“Uh, sure,” Sokka said. He stumbled back a step when she swept past him, and then spun around to hurry after her

“Hey,” he said, lengthening his steps to keep up. Tui and _La_ she walked fast. “I don’t want to be rude, but- who exactly are you?” 

“My name is Suki,” she said. “But I suppose you’re asking about my girls?” She took them down a straight flight of stairs. It was narrow and a little darker than the rest of the palace, so Sokka guessed it must be primarily used by servants.

“We’re the Kyoshi warriors,” Suki said. “Each of us are highly trained in stealth and battle.”

“Hey, I know about you guys,” Sokka said, memory brightening a little bit. “You’re from that island named after Avatar Kyoshi, right?”

“Kyoshi Island, yes.”

Sokka frowned. “Isn’t that in the Earth Kingdom?”

“Yes, it is.”

They reached the end of another flight of stairs, and Sokka saw through the window that they were level with the royal palace’s gardens now. Suki led them down a short hallway to an archway opening up into the grass and bright sunlight overhead.

“What are you doing here?” 

“We serve as personal protection to the Fire Lord and his family,” Suki said. Her pace had slowed now that they were in the gardens. She had tucked her fans away in her belt, and her hands were now clasped neatly behind her back. 

“Oh,” Sokka said. “I haven’t, uh, seen you around.” 

Suki’s lips quirked upwards, accentuated by deep red lipstick. “Like I said, we’re very good at stealth when we need to be. You’ve actually had two warriors posted to protect you since you stepped foot onto Caldera’s docks.”

Sokka stopped walking to gape at her. “Excuse me?”

“You’re very oblivious, you know,” Suki said over her shoulder. Sokka scowled at her, then hurried to catch back up. 

“What have I got to be protected from?” 

“Whoever’s out there that would want to attack a prince,” Suki said. “Nothing specific. The Fire Lord just takes the protection of his family and guests very seriously, but we try not to be too obtrusive. He asked me to try not to reveal ourselves to you, to make sure you felt comfortable here, but I’ve been meaning to speak with you anyways.”

“You’re very casual about disobeying the Fire Lord,” Sokka pointed out.

Suki shrugged. “We’re his employees, not his subjects. Whatever loyalty we give him comes of our own volition.” 

Sokka considered this as they drew to a stop under the shade of a huge, drooping tree. He looked Suki over carefully- her short brown hair kept out of her face with a gold headdress fanning out like the sun, her sharp fans tucked away just close enough to her fingers to be ready in an instant should the need arise. Sokka had only seen her doing basic training moves, but he somehow didn’t doubt that this girl was deadly. 

“I always heard that Kyoshi Island was a very insulated community,” Sokka said. “Why are you working for the Fire Lord?”

“That’s a long story,” Suki said, gaze drifting out over the gardens.

Sokka waited a moment, then dropped down to sit in the grass. Suki stared at him, and he raised his eyebrows challengingly. 

A moment later she sank down beside him. “Insulated was a good word for us,” she said. “We were neutral during the war, which meant that the Fire Nation didn’t attack us, but we weren’t doing anything to help stop the spread of their power, either. Then a few years ago, Fire Nation soldiers attacked my village and nearly burned it to the ground, breaking our neutrality treaty.” 

Sokka’s stomach twisted. He lifted his hands from the grass, suddenly hyperware of what land they were on. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Suki said. “No one was hurt badly. After that, though, I decided it was time that the Kyoshi Warriors take a more active role in the war. We’d stood idly by for a hundred years, and it was time to do our part to help end the suffering. We fought with Earth Kingdom forces for the last few months before Fire Lord Iroh called for peace.

“We returned to Kyoshi Island,” she continued, “but not long after that Fire Lord Iroh himself came and asked us to consider serving as personal bodyguards for him and his immediate family. It was an easy decision to make.”

“How?” Sokka asked. He couldn’t imagine ever voluntarily coming to work under the same people that had burned down his home.

Suki seemed to think about this for a moment. “Well, we only fought in the war for a few months,” she said. “We had a hundred-year debt of inactivity to repay. Fire Lord Iroh is the best opportunity the world has for lasting peace, so I view it as our duty to do what we can to ensure that peace endures.”

Sokka sighed, shifting his gaze to look out at the gardens. Dirt paths wove between trees and bushes laden with bright flowers, and overhead birds swung between the branches. It was a beautiful space, actually. “I know the feeling,” he said.

He felt Suki’s gaze on him, but he didn’t feel like elaborating. After a moment Suki said, “How are you enjoying Caldera City?”

“I haven’t seen much of the city yet,” Sokka said. “The palace is alright, I guess.”

“I’m sure it’s very different from the Northern Water Tribe.”

Sokka snorted. “No kidding. Hey, is it ever any cooler than the surface of the sun here?”

He glanced at Suki to find that she was smiling. Sokka thought she was probably quite pretty under her paint. “Unfortunately, no.”

“Damn,” Sokka said. “I don’t know how you wear all that armor. I would have gotten heatstroke by now.”

“Trust me,” Suki said. “I wouldn’t be wearing it if it wasn’t tradition.”

Sokka relaxed a little bit, leaning back on his hands. “Are there any men in the Kyoshi Warriors?”

“No.” Suki raised a painted eyebrow at him. “Got a problem with that?” 

Sokka blinked. “No, of course not,” he said. “That’s, um, great. My, uh- my sister is a girl.”

Suki’s lips twitched even higher. “Really.”

“Yeah,” Sokka said. “My grandmother is, too. So, yeah. Go women.”

Suki shook her head, the tassels of her headdress swinging to frame her face. “I don’t know why everyone here is intimidated by you,” she said. “You seem a little bit stupid.”

Sokka graciously ignored the insult. “Intimidated?” he asked, frowning at her. “What does that mean?”

“Oh, just that no one quite knows what to make of you,” she said. “At least the girls and I can blend in, more or less. You, though-” Suki swept her gaze over him, and Sokka couldn’t help but feel a little bit judged. “I don’t think they’ve ever seen someone like you. They definitely haven’t seen many people from the Water Tribe. Plus, you’ll be marrying their prince soon.”

“I guess,” Sokka said, considering this. “What’s with him, anyways?”

“Prince Zuko?” Suki asked, sounding surprised. Sokka nodded, and she said, “I can’t say I know him terribly well, but he’s always been very polite to me. He’s on good terms with a few of my girls. Why?”

“No reason,” Sokka said. He was a little taken aback by her answer. Sokka hadn’t expected Prince Zuko to pay much more attention to some Earth Kingdom warriors than he did to Sokka and his father, but maybe it was just the Water Tribe that he took issue with. 

That certainly didn’t bode well for their future prospects.

Suki’s skirt rustled as she got to her feet. “I need to return to my duties,” she said. “Thank you for taking the time to speak to me, Prince Sokka.”

“Just Sokka, please.” Sokka grinned up at her. “You’re not one of my subjects, either.”

Suki smiled. _Yes_ , Sokka thought to himself, _she’s definitely very pretty under her makeup._ She could also definitely beat Sokka up, but that was a different matter entirely.

“Sokka, then,” Suki said. She nodded at him. “I’ll see you around.”

“Bye,” Sokka said, watching as she turned and disappeared down one of the garden paths.

Sokka curled his fingers into the cool grass and tugged, ripping up a handful of blades. He let go of them, watching them flutter back to the ground. 

Maybe the people in Caldera weren’t all that bad.

X X X X X

Sokka was a very forgiving person.

When Katara was fourteen, she learned how to make water sharp enough to cut hair. That had resulted in Sokka’s ponytail being chopped off. Growing it back had been the worst few weeks of Sokka’s life, but he hadn’t had it in him to be cross with his sister for more than a couple hours. 

His father had known about the arranged marriage for three months and hadn’t told Sokka. That… was taking far longer for Sokka to overcome, but he knew eventually he would forgive him. _Eventually_. 

What he couldn’t forgive him for was the way he had simply smiled in bemusement at Sokka’s complaints and then tossed him into the palanquin with Prince Zuko anyways.

“I have nothing to say to him,” Sokka hissed at his father as they stepped through the front door of the palace. There were two grand palanquins sitting in the plaza below, surrounded by servants and guards dressed in red.

“You? Nothing to say?” Hakoda was smiling, and Sokka had half a mind to trip him. “I find that hard to believe.”

“You’re the worst.”

“It’s just a short ride, Sokka. It’ll be over before you know it.”

“That’s easy for _you_ to say.” 

Hakoda hadn’t listened to any of his protests, which is why Sokka now found himself sitting beside Prince Zuko on the lush velvet seat, the curtains drawn tight around them to shield them from the eyes of the people.

Sokka crossed his arms and stared at the red fabric around him. He could hear voices outside the palanquins, shouts and murmurs as their little procession rounded corners and meandered slowly- so, _so_ slowly- through the city. Ahead of them, Hakoda was riding with Fire Lord Iroh, while the guards marching on all sides left no doubts in the minds of the citizens of who was gracing their presence.

Prince Zuko hadn’t said a word since Sokka had climbed into the palanquin beside him. He was gazing straight ahead, eyes fixed on the slit in the curtains as though he wished he could draw them back and throw himself out.

Sokka understood the feeling.

Sokka drummed his fingers against his elbow. Spirits, this was too awkward to stand.

“Do you do this often?” 

Zuko tilted his head just enough to look at Sokka out of the corner of his unburned eye. “Do what?”

“The whole,” Sokka waved his hand around, “parading through the streets while your people grovel at you thing?” 

He saw Zuko’s jaw tighten. “No,” he said. He averted his gaze again. “It’s tradition, when a member of the royal family is betrothed. We’re presenting you to the nation.”

“There’s not much presenting going on,” Sokka said. He leaned forward and grabbed the edge of the curtain, drawing it back. He only had a moment to blink out at the bright sunlight before the people in the streets realized that they could see his face. The noise escalated as they all shouted, with many of them immediately dropping into low bows.

Sokka dropped the curtain and sat back in his seat, heart pounding. Zuko, who hadn’t moved an inch to stop him, said, “Don’t do that.” 

“Well I’m sorry,” Sokka said. “I’m accustomed to actually letting my people _see_ me.”

“They will see you.” Sokka had to admit he was impressed by the prince’s level of emotional control. He knew he had to be annoying him, but Zuko’s expression hadn’t done more than twitch. It was a little eerie how flat his gaze was. “This isn’t the only royal presentation, just the first one.”

“Great,” Sokka said. He leaned back against his seat, slouching down. “Really great.”

Zuko didn’t respond. Sokka tapped his foot against the floor of the palanquin, which bobbed around them as the palace staff lugged them through the streets. It made Sokka a little uncomfortable to know he was being carried around on the backs of actual people. 

“How long does this last?” he asked.

This time, Zuko actually sighed at the question.

“We’re just going to the center of the city and back,” he said. “Another thirty minutes, at least.”

Sokka tipped his head back to stare at the roof. “We would go a lot faster in a carriage.”

“Palanquins are tradition.”

“I think they’re silly.”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk to me?” Zuko’s voice had gone a little sharp. Sokka lifted his head to scowl at him.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but we’re literally trapped in this box together for the next half hour. Would you rather us not speak at all?”

Zuko’s good eye narrowed. “Actually,” he said, “yes.”

“Fine,” Sokka said. “I’ll just sit here quietly and let you brood, then.”

“Why are you acting like you’re the only one who doesn’t want to do this? It’s not like I’m especially eager to marry some irritating Water Tribe prince.”

“Irritating?” Sokka’s anger flared. " _I’m_ irritating? You’re the one who can’t hold a civil conversation. And the Water Tribe is _awesome_ , thank you very much.”

"If you think a pile of ice is awesome,” Zuko murmured without looking at him, as though he wasn’t confident enough in his insult to say it loud enough for Sokka to hear.

Unfortunately for him, they were trapped in a tiny box together, so Sokka heard him loud and clear.

“At least we’re not a bunch of genocidal maniacs!” 

“My people were hurt by the war, too,” Zuko hissed. 

“Right.” Sokka scoffed. “Being taxed a little heavier than usual is just as bad as being slaughtered.”

“If you hate us so much, why did you agree to this marriage?”

“Because we don’t want you all to flip out and start spewing fire at us again!” Sokka scowled at him and then turned away, unable to look at the prince’s face for a moment longer out of fear that he would do something rash. Like punch him. “Fuck this. I’m switching with my dad. I’ll take the Fire Lord over you any day.” 

He leaned out to reach for the curtain, but stopped when Zuko grabbed his arm. He turned to glare at him, but Zuko didn’t look upset anymore. His eyes were wide, a little nervous.

“Don’t,” he said. “The people need to have faith in this union if it’s going to work. If you leave in the middle of the procession- just. Don’t.”

Zuko’s fingers felt like a hot brand, pressing through the fabric of Sokka’s tunic and scalding him. Sokka yanked his arm out of the prince’s grip.

“Fine,” he said. “Let’s just not talk to each other, then.”

“Fine by me.”

“Fine!” 

Sokka crossed his arms tightly again and glared straight ahead. Beside him, Zuko shifted in his seat, easing himself a little further from Sokka and twisting so he wasn’t facing him at all. 

The next thirty minutes passed unbearably slowly. Neither Sokka nor Prince Zuko spoke another word to each other, but the air between them was fraught with tension thick enough to cut with a broadsword. Sokka sat there and let himself stew, glaring at nothing and thinking very uncharitable thoughts towards the prince beside him. He had the audacity to insult the Water Tribe when his precious people had been responsible for so many tragedies?

Sokka had been confident in his ability to endure whatever he needed to, but he was beginning to have serious doubts about whether this marriage was even feasible. He didn’t think the two of them would make it past their wedding night without murdering one another at this point. 

When the palanquin touched back down in the palace plaza, Sokka was ready to jump off and make a dramatic exit just to accentuate his displeasure with the whole experience. Prince Zuko, of course, beat him to it. He stood up and slipped through the curtains before the guards had fully drawn them back, hopping down the steps and landing on the stones with surprising grace.

“Ah, Prince Zuko.” Sokka heard Fire Lord Iroh’s jovial voice as he stood up and stumbled out of the palanquin. These things were too damn low to the ground. “How did you and Prince Sokka- Zuko?”

Zuko strode past his uncle and Hakoda standing behind him without saying a word. Immediately, both the Fire Lord and the Chief turned to look at Sokka- Iroh’s face was concerned, while Hakoda looked disappointed.

“Sokka,” he said. “What happened?”

Sokka clenched his fist. Zuko had done this on _purpose_ , run off and made a scene so that Sokka was left to deal with the fallout. What an asshole. 

“I’m perfectly fine,” he said. “If you want an explanation for Prince Zuko’s behavior, you’ll have to ask _him_.” He threw a shoddy bow towards the Fire Lord, scowled at his father, then turned to follow Prince Zuko up the steps into the castle.

He wasn’t the only one who got to storm off and sulk. 

X X X X X

Sokka craned his neck up to the sky, squinting towards the sun shining high overhead. It was an especially warm day, one that made him feel like his skin was sticking to itself like hot clay. He had almost asked his father if he could just wait inside and let someone fetch him when Aang and Katara arrived, but he always forgot how obsessively formal everyone in the Fire Nation was. He’d also forgotten that Aang was the Avatar, which meant a simple welcome was out of the question. 

Everyone had gathered in the plaza- Sokka and his father, the Fire Lord and Prince Zuko, the Fire Sages, and a dozen of the Fire Lord’s closest advisors. Sokka saw Risao close to the front of the group, goatee neatly combed and hair down in traditional Fire Nation style. When he caught Sokka’s eye he smiled kindly and nodded at him.

Sokka even spotted a few of the Kyoshi warriors lingering close to the Fire Lord and Prince Zuko, but despite his efforts he couldn’t see Suki anywhere in the crowd. 

Aang and Katara had sent word ahead letting them know they’d likely get there some time in the early afternoon, but no one had listened when he explained that Aang’s time management skills were shit, and there was a very real possibility that they wouldn’t be here until dinner had already passed. The whole lot of them had already been waiting for the better part of an hour, and Sokka was beginning to grow tired and itchy.

“They probably stopped to play with dolphins or something,” Sokka muttered to his father beside him. “You know how Aang gets about animals.”

“I explained to Katara how important it was to arrive on time,” Hakoda said, but he still looked a little nervous.

Sokka opened his mouth to counter that Katara was almost _just_ as bad because she had difficulties saying no to Aang when he was excited when the crowd began to murmur. Sokka looked back to the sky and saw a whole lot of blue sky and wispy clouds, and not a whole lot of fluffy sky bison.

Then, a shadow crossed over the sun, and Sokka felt his face split into a broad smile.

Appa swooped low, drawing a lazy circle around the plaza and the people in it. Sokka glanced over at Fire Lord Iroh, who seemed delightfully enraptured by the scene, and Prince Zuko, who looked very pale and stoic under the bright sunlight. 

Of course he wasn’t even impressed by a _flying fucking bison_.

Appa landed with a great rush of wind and dust, his tail hitting the ground hard. He opened his mouth and made a great noise that Sokka recognized as a yawn, but that made a few of the Fire Lord’s advisors take a step back. 

There was a long, tenuous moment of silence where everyone stared at the saddle on Appa’s back. Then a small, bald head poked over the top of it, twisting to scan the crowd. His eyes locked on Sokka’s and the bright smile that crossed his face was as blinding as the sun overhead.

“Sokka!” He leapt from the saddle, orange shawl catching in the wind and parachuting around him as he floated down in what probably looked like an impressive move to others, but that Sokka knew was just Aang’s impatience with the laws of gravity. He landed lightly on the ground in front of Sokka and then threw himself forward, wrapping his thin arms around Sokka’s neck. “It’s so good to see you! I missed you!”

Sokka laughed, returning Aang’s embrace warmly. He hadn’t been too nervous about leaving Aang when he’d started his journey, but now that his friend was back, Sokka felt as though something decidedly happy had slotted back into place in his chest. “Hey, oh powerful and mighty Avatar,” he said, patting his back. He drew away and glanced back at the saddle, then raised his eyebrows. “Your girlfriend is going to kill you.”

Aang spun back around to look at Katara, who was balanced on the edge of the saddle with a cross expression. He winced. “Oops. Coming, Katara!” 

“This will be interesting,” Hakoda said mildly as Aang leapt into the air again, drawing another round of murmurs from the gathered crowd. 

When Aang returned to the ground and set Katara carefully down, Hakoda and Sokka approached them, along with Fire Lord Iroh and, at a much slower pace, Prince Zuko. 

“Avatar Aang. Princess Katara.” Iroh spread his hands wide and smiled. “It is an honor to welcome you to Royal Caldera City.”

“Oh, you must be the Fire Lord.” Aang stuck his glider, which he must have snatched out of the saddle when he went back for Katara, in between two stones on the ground and leaned against it. He beamed. “Hi! Thanks for letting us visit!” 

Katara inclined her head in a polite bow. She probably should have done a little bit more groveling, but when you’re the most powerful waterbender either the Northern or Southern tribe has seen in decades, and you’re dating the Avatar as the bacui berry on top of that, Sokka supposed there was very little she couldn’t get away with.

Sokka took a moment to look her over critically. He hadn’t seen her in almost a week, which was the longest they’d ever been apart. Everything looked the same, from their mother’s necklace tied around her neck to the little hair loopies Sokka had enjoyed tugging on in childhood.

Katara’s eyes shifted to Sokka’s, and she smiled like she was just as relieved to see him as he was to see her. Sokka felt some of the tension he’d been carrying since he’d set foot on Fire Nation soil drain out of him.

Fire Lord Iroh chuckled. “I am,” he said. “Allow me to introduce my nephew, Prince Zuko. We are both overjoyed that you will be joining us for the wedding next week.”

Zuko dropped into a low bow aimed at both Aang and Katara, and predictably said nothing. Katara looked at Zuko with a shrewd expression, then glanced again at Sokka. Sokka shook his head, a minute, easy-to-miss movement, and Katara’s face deepened into a frown.

“Hi.” Aang waved at the prince, seemingly oblivious to the tension around him. Sokka highly doubted that was true; Aang was just better at using a smile as a poker face than the rest of them were. “It’s nice to meet you!” 

“My staff will unload your luggage for you,” Iroh said. “In the meantime, the chefs have prepared a lovely feast for us in the main dining room.”

“What about Appa?” Aang asked, glancing back at his bison. A few of the palace servants had walked up to him but were standing at an obvious distance, looking as though they weren’t quite sure how to approach the animal. Appa, for his part, stared back down at them with a curious expression, occasionally flapping his tail to scare off any advisors who crept too close to get a look. 

“A space has been cleared for him in the stables,” Iroh said. “Hay and fresh vegetables will be provided, and you’re welcome to visit and take him out at any point. There are beautiful meadows all around Caldera that I’m sure he would enjoy very much.” 

“That sounds great!” 

Sokka jumped when one of the palace servants shrieked. The guards all around them tensed, lifting their weapons as the girl backed away from a tiny shape skittering on the ground near Appa’s feet.

Aang’s face lit up. “Momo!” He held out his arm and the lemur leapt forward, gliding for a moment before dropping onto Aang’s wrist and scurrying up to his shoulder. “He was taking a nap in the blankets and I forgot he was up there. Sorry, buddy.” 

Momo chittered indignantly, flicking his tail across Aang’s cheek. He twisted his head to turn his big eyes on Sokka, and a moment later Sokka had a faceful of lemur ears.

“Ow, Momo,” he said, tipping his head forward so Momo could curl around his neck, paws gripping the fabric of his tunic. He rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but smile as he reached up to stroke the top of Momo’s head. “Nice to see you too, you little monster.”

“Is that a flying lemur?” Iroh asked, looking at Momo curiously. Behind him, Zuko was staring hard at the animal, eyes wide. Sokka pointedly stroked one of Momo’s ears, smiling again when he felt Momo purr against his neck. 

“Yeah,” Aang said. “He’s super well-behaved, I promise.”

Iroh chuckled. “I’m sure he is,” he said. “Well- Momo, did you say?- is most welcome to join us for lunch. Come, the chefs don’t like to be kept waiting!”

He turned and led the way out of the plaza. Prince Zuko hurried after him, steps quick as though to put space between himself and the animal draped across Sokka’s shoulders. The people around them drew apart to clear a path for them, all staring openly at Aang. 

Aang spared a moment to turn and wave at Appa, then spun back around and said, “Fire Lord Iroh seems super nice.”

“Everyone seems nice at first,” Katara murmured, low enough that only Sokka would hear her. Sokka was grateful that there was finally someone here with a modicum of common sense.

“We’ve had a lovely stay so far,” Hakoda said. He laid a hand on Katara’s shoulder and smiled at her. “I trust you kids had a nice journey?”

“It was great,” Katara said. “Sorry we were a little bit late. We made a pitstop this morning.”

“We saw the giant swimming monkeys off the coast of the Wulong Forest, Chief Hakoda,” Aang said, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet as they walked up the front steps to the palace. “They were so cool! Their fur is waterproof so they can swim faster, and they make these sounds that sound almost like whale calls except-”

Katara grabbed Sokka’s wrist, slowing them both down. They fell back until Hakoda and Aang were walking several paces ahead of them. 

“How are you doing?” Katara asked in a quiet voice.

If it had been anyone else, Sokka would have put on a brave face and announced that he was delighted with Caldera City and eager for the day of the wedding to come. But this was his sister, so Sokka just sighed, allowing some of the misery he’d been bottling up to leak into it. 

“It’s awful, Katara,” he admitted. “It’s so different here. I always feel like I’m one step away from doing the wrong thing.”

“Fire Lord Iroh seems… surprisingly pleasant,” Katara said.

“Yeah, he’s actually fine,” Sokka said. 

Katara looked at him knowingly. “And Prince Zuko?”

Momo chittered close to Sokka’s ear. Sokka reached up to scratch the short fur on the back of his neck.

“We don’t get along very well,” he admitted. “He’s just so- he acts like he’s better than everyone around him. It’s like he’s too good to marry me. It’s infuriating. We hardly speak at all, and when we do we end up arguing. I don’t know how we can be expected to spend any amount of time together.”

“Perhaps you just need to get to know each other better.”

“I’ve no interest in getting to know him,” Sokka said. “And he’s made it quite clear that he shares the same sentiments.”

Katara sighed. They turned a corner, following Aang’s excited conversation and the amused tilt of their father’s head as he listened. Ahead of them, the could see the backs of Fire Lord Iroh and Prince Zuko, walking tall and silent.

Katara’s elbow brushed Sokka’s. “We’ll figure it out,” she said. “Aang and I are here now. You’re not alone, Sokka.”

Neither of them pointed out the obvious- that after another week, after the wedding, Sokka would be alone.

Instead he smiled and knocked his shoulder against hers. “Here’s my baby sister, come to save the day once again.”

“Don’t you forget it,” Katara said with a grin.

Sokka drew what comfort he could from her presence, and readied himself for what was certain to be a very awkward lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no thoughts in my head, just suki *:･ﾟ✧*:
> 
> thank you, thank you for all the lovely comments on the last chapter- I seriously appreciate them so much!! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you're having an amazing day <3


	6. zuko ii

ZUKO II

Zuko couldn’t help but stare at the lemur perched on the Avatar’s shoulders.

Zuko had always liked animals, but he had to admit that this one made him a little bit nervous. It was far different than any other kind of lemur he’d seen before, and it seemed to have the unfortunate pairing of an overabundance of energy and not enough respect to social boundaries. Zuko watched as its ears twitched to follow the conversation around the table. Occasionally, the Avatar would break off a piece of bread or cheese or a slice of mango and hold it up to the lemur, who would grab it with both paws and eat it in a startlingly human-like way. 

“Prince Zuko?”

Zuko tore his eyes away from the lemur, who was chewing on a cold noodle with remarkable speed, and looked to his uncle. He realized with a start that everyone at the table was staring at him- the Chief, Prince Sokka, Princess Katara, and Avatar Aang. Even the lemur had turned its bulbous eyes on him.

“Yes?” he asked, feeling his cheeks warm.

“I was just telling our guests about the Fire Lily Festival.” Uncle’s expression was kind, and understanding, and Zuko felt it like a slap to the face. He didn’t know how his uncle could continue to be so patient with him when he’d demonstrated a clear incapability to perform even the most basic social duties asked of him.

“Yes,” Zuko said. “It’s quite lovely.”

The table was silent. Zuko dropped his gaze to his plate, unable to look at Prince Sokka, or any of their other guests for that matter.

After a moment, Aang said, “Do you still do the Festival of Szeto? I always loved that one.”

“We haven’t had a Festival of Szeto for many years,” Iroh said. “Perhaps it is time that we bring it back- I always love a good party! Tell me, what was the festival like?”

“It was wonderful,” Aang said, his smile bright. Zuko was struck once more by how incredibly young he was. He couldn’t have been older than sixteen, and his grey eyes were big and bright, gangly limbs taut with energy and still awkward with fading childhood. He certainly didn’t look like the powerful Avatar Zuko had expected. Somehow, his overwhelming cheerfulness was even more intimidating than anything else might be. 

“There are lanterns lit all across the city,” Aang said, throwing his arms out wide. The lemur on his shoulder chittered in irritation and readjusted its perch. “And then there are street performers and vendors selling all kinds of food- lots of stalknose mushrooms! Do you still have those?”

“I’m certain we can dig some up,” Iroh said. 

Zuko pushed his rice around with his chopsticks as Aang continued to gush about various Fire Nation traditions from one hundred years ago. He felt warm all over, and he couldn’t stop his leg from bouncing under the table. He wasn’t sure why he felt so anxious; perhaps it was the royal dining room. He and his uncle usually took meals in either of their quarters or in one of the smaller, casual dining rooms, and it was odd to be back in the place that he’d shared so many tense family meals in.

Whatever it was, Zuko was growing more and more annoyed with his nerves. He scowled down at his plate, then raised his eyes to try to force himself back into the conversation.

He immediately locked gazes with Katara, who was sitting directly across from him. It seemed as though she’d been watching him. Judging from the frown on her face, she wasn’t particularly pleased with what she saw.

Zuko smoothed his expression back out, but Katara had already turned away from him, focusing once more on Aang and his explanations of the fire dancers that used to perform at festivals. Zuko allowed the scowl to creep back onto his face.

He wasn’t sure what to make of Katara. Her resemblance to her brother and the Chief was uncanny; she was beautiful, certainly, with long dark hair and the same shocking blue eyes as Sokka. Still, she made him the most uneasy out of all of them. 

Zuko had heard rumors of her skills with waterbending. It was said that she was well on her way to becoming the next great master of the Water Tribes, that she trained with the Avatar and bested him more often than not when he relied solely on waterbending. 

And soon she would be his sister-in-law. Spirits, Zuko was fucked. 

“Prince Zuko,” Katara said after Aang had wrapped up his raving review of fried stalknose mushroom kebabs. Her expression was pleasant enough, but there was a glint of something sharp in her eyes that made Zuko distinctly uncomfortable. “Aang and I are excited to be in Caldera for the week. Tell me, what is there to do for fun around here?”

Zuko could have laughed at the absurdity of the question. Not at the question itself, but at the fact that she was asking _him_ that. Zuko couldn’t remember doing anything fun in years.

“The weekend markets are quite popular,” he said quietly. He inwardly cringed at how weak his voice sounded in the cavernous room. He’d never figured out how to make it carry as well as his sister’s did. “You’re welcome to visit the royal gardens, as well.”

“What do _you_ enjoy doing for fun?”

Zuko scratched the inside of his wrist under the table. He could feel Prince Sokka’s gaze on him, heavy and judgmental, and scrambled to find something to say that wouldn’t make him sound like an idiot.

“Um,” he said. Great start. “I’m afraid I haven’t much free time to partake in… activities outside of my duties.”

“Prince Zuko has been an invaluable help to me these past few years.” Zuko looked at his uncle, who was smiling at him. He felt his shoulders relax marginally at the reminder that he wasn’t alone amongst these people scrutinizing his every movement. 

Iroh looked back to the table at large and said, “My son Lu Ten has been traveling across the world overseeing reparations and peace treaties. As the next in line to be Fire Lord, I thought it important that he gain a full understanding of the impact of this war, and that he works to help establish enduring peace. In his absence, Prince Zuko has been fulfilling many of the duties usually performed by the Crown Prince. He has also been excellent company for this old man.” Iroh’s expression was so overwhelmingly fond Zuko had to look away. “I will be very sorry to see him go.”

“I understand the sentiment,” Chief Hakoda said as Zuko ducked his head and bit down any embarrassing outward signs of emotion. “We’re all disappointed to see Sokka gone for so long, but it is a tremendous comfort to know that he will be well taken care of here. Rest assured that when the time comes for Prince Zuko to join us at Agna Qel’a, we will welcome him as one of our own.”

Zuko kept his eyes fixed on the table. Every time the conversation turned to the inevitability of his departure from Caldera City he had to pull himself away, because if he thought about it for too long his hands would start to shake. 

Zuko had never been outside of the Fire Nation. He’d hardly ever been outside of Caldera City, except for family visits to Ember Island. In a year he would be asked to move across the world to the North Pole to be with a prince who hated him, married to the chief of a nation that despised him on principle. 

Zuko set his chopsticks down, feeling vaguely queasy, and picked up his glass of plum wine. He took a long sip, feeling the tingle of alcohol in the back of his throat. He wished he’d asked for something stronger. 

The conversation inevitably turned to the Avatar’s training, of which Zuko knew his uncle had a special interest. The Avatar’s firebending tutoring was typically overseen by the Fire Sages, and although it would be several more years before Avatar Aang mastered earthbending and came to Caldera for his training, Iroh was already eager to begin discussion. 

“Have you found options for an earthbending teacher, Avatar Aang?” Iroh asked.

“Oh, a ton!” Aang beamed at him. The lemur, apparently tiring of having to wait for food to be handed to him, leaned down and snatched a grape off of his plate. “A lot of people want to help!”

“We’re going to stay with our friend Toph at the Beifong estate for a few weeks,” Katara said. “Several potential teachers have asked to visit us there. We’ll meet with them and see who the best fit is.” 

“The Beifongs are a very esteemed family,” Iroh said. “They will certainly have the connections to help you find a suitable earthbending master. If I might offer a word of advice, Avatar Aang-”

“You can just call me Aang.” Zuko didn’t think the kid had stopped smiling since he had jumped off of that bison.

Iroh tipped his head and said, “Aang. Teaching the Avatar is an incredible honor for a bender. There will be no shortage of people hoping to train you so they might add it onto their list of achievements. Be mindful that when you are deciding who to entrust your education to, you are trusting your own instincts. Many people will try to sweet talk you, but in the end, the universe will guide you to the right person for the job.”

Aang’s smile faded just a little bit. He nodded, looking a tad more serious than he had before. 

“Thank you, Fire Lord Iroh,” he said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Zuko shoved a piece of komodo sausage across his plate. Of course his uncle would decide to mentor the fucking Avatar.

For dessert they had fruit drizzled in honey and topped with sweet cream, but Zuko didn’t have the appetite for more than a few berries. He sipped at his wine and half-listened to the conversation, which had turned back to traditional Fire Nation festivals. Every few minutes Zuko would risk a glance over at Sokka, who was never paying attention to him. He looked happier than he had the last few days, smiling with his sister and laughing at the Avatar’s enthusiasm for centuries-old traditions. 

He had a good smile. He smiled with his whole body, wide and genuine, not like the tight superficial expressions Zuko had been raised on. 

Finally, Iroh adjourned the meal. Servants came in to clear up the last of the dishes, and they all stood to exchange their goodbyes for the evening.

“The Fire Sages will escort you to your rooms,” Iroh said, bowing to Katara and Aang. “Thank you for joining us for lunch.”

Katara nodded at him, while Aang grinned and said, “Thanks a bunch, Fire Lord Iroh! It was really good!” 

They left, lemur in tow, and were followed closely by Prince Sokka and Chief Hakoda. Sokka didn’t so much as glance at Zuko as he left. Zuko wished he would, if only so he could properly glare at him. 

“Prince Zuko?”

Zuko turned to his uncle. Iroh took one look at Zuko’s expression and raised his eyebrows.

“I’ll walk you back to your room,” he said.

Iroh was quiet as they walked, which Zuko knew meant he was trying to leave Zuko to his thoughts. Zuko kept his eyes fixed on his feet as he walked, ignoring the servants around them who dropped into deep bows as they passed. He’d gotten some of them to stop panicking quite so much when it was just him out for a walk, but he didn’t think they’d ever feel at ease around the Fire Lord. Zuko understood, but he also found it kind of silly; just the other week he’d witnessed Iroh crying over a particularly beautiful harp solo. 

“How are you, my boy?” Iroh asked when they were nearing Zuko’s room.

“Fine.”

“Give me more credit than that, Zuko,” Iroh said with a shrewd kind of smile, and Zuko sighed. 

“He hates me, uncle.” 

“He hardly knows you,” Iroh said steadily, like he’d had the response prepared. He probably had. Zuko sometimes wondered if Iroh could read minds, or if Zuko just had a predictable thought process. He hoped it was the former.

“He doesn’t want to know me. He said-” Zuko’s cheeks burned. “He said I shouldn’t feel… _bound_ to him in anything other than title. I don’t think he intends for us to ever know each other.”

“I think that you’ll both very soon find that that is quite impossible.”  
Zuko said nothing.

They drew to a stop in front of Zuko’s room. Iroh turned to face him, brow furrowed as he looked Zuko over carefully.

“You haven’t been sleeping well, nephew.”

Zuko shrugged, staring at his uncle’s shoulder. “I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

Iroh reached out to grab Zuko’s arm, giving it a comforting squeeze. “If I didn’t think this would turn out well,” he said, “I wouldn’t put you through it, Zuko. Please have faith that it will all work out in the end.”

Zuko tried to let his uncle’s words set his mind at ease, but it wasn’t working as well as it usually did. Try as he might, Zuko couldn’t picture a future in which he wasn’t completely miserable. 

Of course, that had always been true. Maybe what Zuko had to do now was figure out which future made him the _least_ miserable and cling to that with all he had.

“Have you been to visit my father recently?” he asked.

Iroh let go of Zuko’s arm. “Earlier this week, yes.”

“Does he know about the wedding?”

Iroh hesitated, and Zuko’s stomach dropped. “I’m not sure how,” he admitted. “I tried to keep it from him. But yes, he does.”

“What did he say?”

Iroh looked at him with open pity. Zuko turned away.

“Never mind,” he said. “Forget I asked.” He reached out to grasp the door handle. “I’m going to take a nap.”

“The world always seems a little bit brighter after a good rest.”

Zuko smiled faintly. “I’ll see you at dinner, Uncle,” he said, pushing his door open. 

In the privacy of his own room, Zuko allowed himself to unravel a little. He pulled the ribbon out of his hair, letting it fall loose around his shoulders, and scraped his fingers through it. Suddenly exhausted, he wandered across the room to his bed and collapsed onto it, turning his face into the cool silk pillow and closing his eyes.

He hadn’t gotten proper rest in days, and even now sleep continued to evade him.

X X X X X

“Zuko, do you know what flowers you’re going to have at the wedding?”

“I don’t really think that’s up to me, Ty Lee,” Zuko said. 

“You should ask for panda lilies. They’re so romantic!” Zuko had to strain to hear Ty Lee, because she was walking on her hands, and thus was effectively talking to the grass.

“Or flytraps.” Zuko shot a look at Mai, and she shrugged. “What? It’ll keep things interesting.”

“I don’t care if the wedding is interesting,” Zuko said. “I just want to make it through in one piece.”

Mai curled her arm tighter around Zuko’s. “You’re so dramatic.” 

“No I’m not. How do we know Prince Sokka won’t try to smother me in the middle of the night just to get rid of me?”

Mai rolled her eyes. Ty Lee flipped her legs over her head, straightening up on her feet. Her face was flushed faintly red from having hung her head upside down for so long.

“He can’t be that bad, Zuko,” she said. She grabbed Mai’s free hand, holding it with both of her own, and grinned at Zuko. “I heard he’s really cute.”

Zuko huffed. “I don’t care if he’s the most attractive guy in all the nations,” he said. “He’s still annoying.”

They meandered down the garden path arm in arm. The sun was high in the sky overhead, and the air was alive with the buzzing of bees and birds swooping low in the trees. The palace gardens were definitely Zuko’s favorite place to walk, especially in spring. 

“It still can’t hurt if he’s attractive,” said Mai.

“You’ll have something to look at during those long, cold North Pole nights,” Ty Lee added.

“Neither of you are any help at all.”

Ty Lee laughed, leaning across Mai to pinch Zuko’s elbow. “You need to lighten up a little, Zuko,” she said. “All of this worrying isn’t good for your aura. It already seems tired- have you been sleeping alright?”

“Ty Lee, you need to stop commenting on people’s auras,” Mai said with a sigh.

Ty Lee blinked at her. “Why?”

“I’ve been sleeping fine,” Zuko lied. “And my aura is fine, too.”

“Sure it is,” said Mai. 

“Hey, I know!” Ty Lee gave a little hop, grinning at them both. “Let’s visit Azula after the wedding! It would be nice for you to get away from everything for a little bit, Zuko.”

“I don’t think I’ll be allowed to leave Prince Sokka,” Zuko said. 

“Bring him with!” 

“To meet Azula?” Zuko stared at her incredulously. “She’d eat him alive.”

“Maybe that’s what he needs,” Mai said.

Zuko glanced at her, eyebrows raised. “What does that mean?”

Mai opened her mouth to respond, then looked ahead of them. Her expression immediately cooled. “Incoming,” she said.

Zuko looked up, and his stomach flipped. It seemed they weren’t the only ones taking advantage of the good weather to take a stroll through the gardens. Approaching them on the path were Prince Sokka, Princess Katara, and Avatar Aang. The lemur was perched once more on Aang’s shoulders.

Zuko had half a mind to turn around and pull Ty Lee and Mai down a different path, but judging from the sour expression on Sokka’s face, they’d already been spotted. As the two groups approached one another they both slowed with equal reluctance, coming to a stop a few feet from each other.

“Prince Zuko,” Sokka said with a stiff nod. His white hair was tied back in a braid, and he was wearing a pale blue tunic that rather unfairly showed off his arms.

“Prince Sokka,” Zuko said, meeting his gaze evenly.

There was a pause. Ty Lee rocked forward onto her toes, glancing at Zuko, then turned to the other group with a smile.

“Hi!” She waved at them, wiggling her fingers. “I’m Ty Lee, and this is Mai! We’re Zuko’s friends.”

Sokka was still staring at Zuko, eyes narrowed a little bit. Zuko stared back at him, mouth pressed down into a frown.

“I’m Aang,” said the Avatar, matching Ty Lee’s enthusiasm with a broad grin of his own. “This is Katara.” The lemur flicked its tail at the back of Aang’s head, and he winced and said, “Sorry, Momo. This is Momo!” 

Ty Lee made a soft cooing sound, letting go of Mai’s hand to step forward. “Oh, he’s so cute!” She extended a hand towards Momo. He leaned off of Aang’s shoulder to blink at it curiously, and when he didn’t protest she reached up to pet the top of his head. Momo’s eyes slipped closed as he purred softly, and Ty Lee giggled. “Mai, look!” 

“Adorable,” Mai said in a flat voice. Her arm was still looped through Zuko’s. She tightened it just a little bit, giving his arm a soft squeeze. 

“We were just looking through the gardens,” Katara said.

“I hope that’s alright with you, Prince Zuko,” Sokka said.

Zuko grit his teeth together, biting back on a remark that would certainly get him in trouble. “Of course,” he said. “Like I’ve already told you, you’re welcome to any part of the palace you’d like.”

Sokka’s lips puckered slightly. Ty Lee, who had backed away from Momo and returned to Mai’s side, said, “I’ve been trying to tell Mai we should get a pet for months now. Maybe we should get a lemur!”

“Absolutely not,” Mai said. 

“Lemurs make great pets,” Aang said with a smile. He grinned up at Momo. “Isn’t that right, Momo?”

“I just wanted to make sure,” Sokka said, gaze still fixed on Zuko. Zuko could feel his temper building in his throat, and swallowed it back the best he could. “I wouldn’t want to get in your way.”

“If you were in my way you would know, Prince Sokka,” Zuko said. 

Mai’s arm tightened around Zuko’s once more, this time in warning. Sokka dropped all pretense at this point, expression twisting into a scowl.

Katara grabbed her brother’s arm. “Well, we still have a lot to look at,” she said with a very forced smile. “We’ll let you three carry on. It was lovely to meet you both.”

“You can come visit Momo whenever,” Aang said to Ty Lee, who beamed at him.

“Thank you!” 

Katara tugged on Sokka’s arm, pulling him past the other group. Zuko returned his glare for as long as he could, twisting his head to follow his gaze until the three of them walked away. 

Mai pulled Zuko forward, and they began walking again. Zuko scowled at the ground.

“Well, that didn’t go well,” Mai said as though she were commenting on the weather. 

“At least the lemur was cute,” said Ty Lee.

Zuko didn’t respond. Mai jabbed her elbow into his side and said, “Hey. It’ll be fine.”

“Nothing about this is fine, Mai.”

“Oh, Zuko.” Ty Lee’s dark brown eyes were wide with sympathy. “Hey, if he keeps being mean to you, we’ll take care of it.”

“She means we’ll get rid of him,” added Mai.

Zuko’s lips twitched. “Please don’t start an international incident.”

“Don’t insult me,” Mai said. “It would never be traced back to us.”

Zuko’s huff wasn’t quite a laugh, but it was close enough that Mai’s worried expression eased a little bit. He reached up with his free hand and squeezed her wrist just once.

“Thank you,” he said.

Ty Lee smiled at him. “We’ve got your back, Zuko,” she said. She let go of Mai, grinned at them both, and then flipped forward to go back up into a handstand. 

“Last one to the turtleduck pond is a rotten ostrich horse egg!” 

X X X X X

Zuko couldn’t sleep.

That wasn’t necessarily a new phenomenon, because it was rare that Zuko ever slept fully through the night. This time he’d managed a few hours before startling himself awake from a dream he couldn’t remember, and had laid in bed for several minutes waiting for his pounding heart to slow down again.

Zuko hated being in his room after he woke up like that. It was too large and quiet and empty, and the shadows twisted the shapes of his furniture into ominous figures that set his heart racing all over again. So Zuko got out of bed, pulling a thin cotton shirt over his head and putting on his slippers, and crept across the room to his door.

He peeked out into the hall, which was empty except for the light of the moon streaming through the windows. Zuko knew that there were at least a couple Kyoshi Warriors lurking somewhere nearby, but they always kept their distance enough to give him the illusion of being alone. Zuko appreciated that. He understood his uncle’s need to make sure Zuko was safe, but he hated the feeling of being constantly followed. 

His slippers were thin, and he could feel the cold marble floor through the soles. His footsteps were muffled but still loud in the silence. It had to be long past midnight, closer to daybreak than night. With any luck Zuko wouldn’t see anyone at all.

Typically when he couldn’t sleep Zuko went to either the turtleduck pond or the stables. When he reached the door leading out to the gardens he paused, debating, and then continued on his way. It had been a long time since he’d visited the other animals, and his heart was still thrumming in his chest. He could use the longer walk.

The stables were out back behind the palace. The main stable was more like a large barn, meant to house some of the animals used by the palace kitchens, with smaller buildings delegated to either the royal family or the nobles for personal use. There were two large sconces filled with flickering flames on either side of the front door. Zuko used their light to approach the stable and slip carefully inside, easing it shut behind him.

There was a loud, huge snort from behind him that definitely did _not_ belong to an ostrich horse. Zuko froze with his hand still on the door, and slowly turned around. 

The main section of the barn was a large open space surrounded by soaring wooden rafters. The fires were flickering low in the braziers lined around the room, but there was just enough light to illuminate the animals kept in pens built into the walls- a group of koala sheep blinked at Zuko, eyes reflecting back in the semi-darkness. And in the center of the room-

“Oh,” Zuko said in a small voice. He’d forgotten that the Avatar’s sky bison was being kept here.

It was _huge._ Zuko had to tip his head back to see its big black eyes staring down at him. Zuko remembered how nerve-wracking it had been to look up and see the monstrous creature blocking out the sun as it flew overhead.

The bison tilted its head to the side and exhaled through its nose. It lifted one foot off the ground and then set it back down, crinkling the hay littering the stone underfoot.

Zuko swallowed. He should go- he wasn’t positive that the bison wasn’t dangerous (even though it hadn’t been tied up or restrained at all), and even if it wasn’t, he definitely shouldn’t be messing with the Avatar’s bison.

Zuko was curious, however. He’d never been good at reigning in his curiosity, a trait that tended to get him into trouble quite frequently. 

“Hi,” he said, edging into the room. One of the sheep bleated and he tensed, pausing in his approach to watch the bison’s reaction. 

It lowered its head to peer at Zuko. If Zuko had to guess at what its expression meant, he would have said it was almost curious.

“Sorry if I, um, woke you up.” Zuko took another couple hesitant steps forward. “I didn’t- I forgot that you would be here. Not that- not that you shouldn’t be here, just-” He bit down on his tongue to still it, and exhaled sharply. “And now I’m talking to a bison. Great.”

He jumped when the bison took a step towards him. It was close enough now that Zuko could feel its warm breath, could smell the thick scent of old hay and animal fur.

Zuko carefully raised his hand so it was hovering close to the side of the animal’s head, then paused. The bison stared at him, then huffed and knocked its head to the side into Zuko’s hand.

Zuko froze for a moment, startled. The fur was softer than he expected. After a moment he moved his hand, stroking the side of the bison’s head, and it made a small noise of contentment.

Zuko smiled. Emboldened by his success, he took another step forward, reaching higher to pet the soft fur of the bison’s cheek. 

“Do you like flying?” he asked, tilting his head to look at the animal’s eyes. It peered back at him, lids dipped low as it basked in Zuko’s attention. Zuko grinned and dug his hand in deeper to the fur to scratch harder. “It must be really nice. I’ve never flown anywhere. I bet it’s fun to travel.”

The bison ducked its head to knock against Zuko’s stomach. Zuko laughed, both hands coming up to curl into the fur.

“Okay, okay. Less talking, more petting. Got it.” 

There was a sound from behind him, like bare feet crackling in hay. Zuko spun around, the back of his head hitting the bison’s cheek, and stared with wide eyes at the thin figure standing in the doorway of the barn, half-illuminated by the light from the fires.

“Uh,” said Avatar Aang, looking just as startled as Zuko felt. “Hi?”

Zuko stepped away from the bison as though it had scalded him. The animal’s head turned to follow him, mouth open in an indignant grunt as Zuko backed away.

“Wait, no,” Aang said, bringing his hands up and spreading his fingers wide in a show of peace. He smiled in what was clearly an attempt to comfort Zuko. “It’s okay! You just surprised me.”

“Avatar Aang,” Zuko said. After a moment he dipped into a hurried bow. “I’m so sorry for intruding, I promise I wasn’t- I was just looking, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay,” Aang repeated. Zuko heard the sound of footsteps coming closer, and raised his head just high enough to see Aang approaching the bison. “You were just petting him. It’s alright, Appa loves being pet. Don’t you, boy?” 

He raised his hand, and the bison- Appa- butted his head against it. Aang laughed, the sound bright and clear in the quiet barn.

“Appa doesn’t sleep well in new places,” Aang said to Zuko. “I was just coming to check on him to make sure he was doing alright.”

Zuko shifted where he stood. He still couldn’t quite shake the feeling that he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t, and he wanted nothing more than to turn and run back to the safety of his room. Would the Avatar find that more or less rude than lingering in the space designated for his bison? 

“You can keep petting him,” Aang said. He looked at Zuko, his expression a little hopeful, but when he caught sight of the look on Zuko’s face his smile faded. “Only if you want, of course.”

Zuko hedged a look towards the front door of the barn, which had been left open. Appa huffed loudly at him. After a moment Zuko walked carefully forward, bringing his hand back up to Appa’s fur.

Immediately Appa dropped his head to nudge Zuko’s hip, and a smile rose, unbidden, to Zuko’s lips. Aang laughed again, gentler this time, and said, “Wow, he really likes you!” 

“He’s beautiful,” Zuko said quietly, stroking through the soft fur. 

“Don’t say that, he’ll get an even bigger head than he’s already got.” Appa twisted his head to look at Aang, who grinned and said, “Don’t look at me like that. You know it’s true.”

“Can he understand us?”

“Sure! Sky bison are super smart. Appa understands things better than most people.” Aang patted Appa’s neck and looked at Zuko, an easy smile on his face. “So what are you doing up so late?”

Zuko shifted his gaze to fix on the bison’s white fur. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“I get that,” Aang said. “Are you excited about the wedding? It must be kind of weird, marrying someone you don’t know that well.”

“It’s actually a fairly normal practice in the Fire Nation.”

“I know,” Aang said, and Zuko was reminded that this wasn’t actually a normal fifteen year-old. It almost felt like he knew more about Zuko’s past than Zuko did. Zuko wasn’t sure how he felt about that. “I would still be nervous, though.”

When Zuko looked up, Aang’s expression was kind, but Zuko couldn’t help the spike of anxiety that rose in his throat. This wasn’t just the Avatar, after all; this was one of Prince Sokka’s closest friends. Zuko didn’t want to say anything that would get him into even more trouble with his fiancé.

“I should go,” he said quietly. He brought his hands together and gave a short bow. “My apologies again for intruding upon your bison’s space.”

“Oh, don’t apologize! You can come visit Appa whenever you’d like. I’m sure he’s been getting lonely out here.”

Appa grunted as though in agreement. Zuko smiled a little bit, inclined his head once more to Aang, and then turned and walked away, past the animals all peering at him through the semidarkness. 

His breathing didn’t slow until he was almost back to the palace. He wrapped his arms around himself to ward off the late night chill, feet echoing faintly on the stones as he climbed the steps back through one of the side doors. Overhead, the moon shone brightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed another venture into Zuko's awkward, awkward mind!
> 
> Thank you all SO much for the support on the last chapter. I can't believe this story is almost at 3000 hits. I really appreciate all of your comments- they truly make my day! Have an awesome day/night <3


	7. sokka iv

SOKKA IV

Sokka stared at himself in the mirror as Katara worked her fingers carefully through his hair. She was tying it off into tight braids that she then pulled back, looping them through beads to create an effect that almost looked like ice on fresh snow. Sokka had to reluctantly (and privately) admit that she was doing a better job than he usually did.

Behind her he could see the reflection of his wedding clothes hanging off the top of his wardrobe- long robes layered with different shades of blue and trimmed with pale grey fur. Sokka didn’t know if they had been brought with them, or if someone within the palace had made them. He was just glad he wasn’t being made to wear red.

“How are you feeling?” Katara asked.

Sokka watched her fingers slide a white bead into his hair, tucking it close to his temple. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

He didn’t feel much of anything right now. He had expected to feel angry, or upset, but now as he stared at his own reflection and thought about how in a few short hours he would be married, all he felt was a dull ache in his chest. 

Katara was already dressed for the wedding in a long blue dress and a thin white shawl looped across her shoulders. She had tied her hair up in an elaborate braided updo dotted intermittently with small white flowers. 

She smoothed back a stray strand of hair that had escaped Sokka’s braids, tucking it behind his ear. Her fingers were cool against his skin.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

Sokka blinked at her in the mirror. “What for?”

“I-” She frowned, brow creasing as she bit her lower lip. “If it wasn’t for Aang, then I- I might be the one who-”

“Katara,” Sokka said, understanding in an instant. He twisted in his seat to look at her. If he was going to have any chance of getting through to her, he had to be direct. “No. It was always going to be this way.”

Katara wrung her hands and said, “You’re going to be chief. If Aang wasn’t the Avatar- it would have made more sense for me to have the arranged marriage, I'm-”

“If Aang wasn’t the Avatar,” Sokka said, “I still would have insisted it be me. What kind of brother would I be if I let my baby sister marry some stranger?” 

Katara laughed. It came out more of a sob. “You’re not that much older than me.”

“Agree to disagree.” 

Katara sniffed and reached up to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. “I can’t believe you’ll be gone for the whole year,” she said. “I hardly made it through a week.”

“Ha,” Sokka said with a grin. “I told you you’d miss me.”

Katara sniffed again. “Yeah,” she said quietly.

Sokka sighed and stood up. “C’mere,” he said, opening his arms, and Katara fell against his chest, burying her face in his tunic. Her shoulders shook, and Sokka raised his eyes to the ceiling, trying to ignore the burning behind them. 

“It’ll pass quickly,” he said. “You’ll be with Toph and Aang for the first few months. You’ll be so busy with all that Avatar magic shit you won’t even have time to miss me.”

Katara curled her arms tighter around Sokka’s waist and said, “I don’t want to leave you here.”

Sokka swallowed. “I’ll be fine, Katara.” He drew away from her, reaching down to tilt her chin up to look at him, and smiled. “I’m always fine.” 

A knock at the door drew both of their attention. It opened and Hakoda stepped inside. He was already dressed in his finest furs, looking regal and every inch the chief he was, but when his eyes caught on his children his expression softened.

“The guests are arriving,” he said.

Katara sniffed and wiped her eyes, stepping away from Sokka. “I should go find Aang,” she said. She smiled at Sokka, and he carefully ignored the way her lower lip was trembling.

“See you on the other side,” said Sokka, giving her a mock salute.

Hakoda took Katara’s hand and squeezed it briefly as she passed him to slip out the door. For a moment the room was silent. Hakoda walked across the room, footsteps heavy, and came to stand in front of Sokka.

“I wish your mother could see you,” he said. “She would be so proud of you.” 

Sokka pressed his lips together tightly. Hakoda reached out to lay a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“ _I'_ _m_ proud of you, Sokka.”

Sokka moved forward, and Hakoda opened his arms to wrap him in a tight embrace. Sokka pressed his face into Hakoda’s thick furs, inhaling the musty scent of home.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” he said.

“You can, Sokka.” Hakoda’s voice rumbled deep in his chest. “There’s no one else I would trust with this more than you.” 

Hakoda pulled back and gripped Sokka firmly by the shoulders. He looked at him closely, his dark eyes warm and shining with pride.

“You’re going to make an excellent chief one day, Sokka.” 

Despite his nerves, Sokka couldn’t help the way his chin tilted higher at that. Hakoda squeezed him one more time, then let go and said, “Do you need help getting dressed?”

“No,” Sokka said, glancing at the robes hanging heavily across the room. “I think I can manage.”

“Alright,” Hakoda said. “I need to go and help the Fire Lord greet our guests. The Fire Sages will come get you when it’s time for the ceremony.”

Sokka nodded. “Right,” he said. “Okay.”

“I’ll be right there if you need anything,” Hakoda said. “Good luck, son.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Sokka watched his father leave. He sank back down into the seat in front of the vanity, twisting to look back at himself in the mirror. His own face was reflected back at him, framed by the polished dark wood as though he were a painting hanging in a museum.

He stared at himself for a long time before he managed to muster the energy to go and get dressed.

X X X X X

The Fire Sages didn’t come for another hour. Sokka spent that time pacing the small room and looking out the window, where he could just barely see a sliver of the palace plaza. He could tell that there were people down there, but he coudn’t see how many. 

If Sokka felt nothing earlier, he was feeling everything now. His stomach twisted so violently with every step he took he was half afraid that he would throw up the pastries he’d eaten for breakfast. The fabric of his robes weren’t especially thick, but they had a lot of layers, and even in this well ventilated room he could feel sweat gathering on the back of his neck and under his arms. 

Finally, there was a knock at the door. Sokka stared at it for a moment, then crossed the room to answer it.

“Prince Sokka.” Three Fire Sages had come for him. They bowed in unison, pointed hats parallel to the floor. “Are you prepared for the ceremony?” 

“Uh,” Sokka said. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

He followed them through the palace. It was strangely empty, like it had been when he and his father had first arrived, although Sokka thought this emptiness had less to do with tradition and more to do with the huge royal wedding currently taking place just outside the palace walls. He had watched the preparations happen around him throughout the week, unable to ignore them despite his efforts to focus on Katara and Aang and not think about his encroaching doom too much. Most of the palace staff was probably either down at the event or preparing for the celebration that would take place afterwards. Even though Sokka was grateful that there was no one around to scrape and bow at his feet, he couldn’t help but think it was a little eerie to see the normally crowded hallways so silent. 

He expected the Sages to take him straight to the plaza, but just before they reached the closed front doors they pulled him away and into a side atrium. It was a small, windowless room lit by candles, and Sokka realized with a start that if this had been some elaborate Fire Nation plan to get rid of him, this would be the perfect moment to slip a blade between his ribs. 

“We’ll wait here for Prince Zuko to be presented to the people,” one of the Fire Sages said. He wasn’t looking at Sokka, but at one of the flickering candles set into the wall, gaze shrewd as though the flame was giving him instruction.

Sokka tried to wipe the palms of his hands off on his robes as covertly as possible. The room was too small and the air felt stale. His heart was beating like a war drum in his chest, and the longer he stood there the longer he wondered if he was going to pass out. He should probably ask for a glass of water.

Before he could muster up the courage, the Fire Sages shifted, and the one that seemed to be the leader said, “It’s time. Follow me.” 

They opened the door, and Sokka had just a moment to be grateful for the fresh air before he tipped right back into uncomfortable queasiness. They led him over to the front door, turned to look him over one last time- gazes running over the lay of his robes, the beads in his hair, as though double-checking the handiwork- and then they nodded. 

Two of them pulled open the doors. Sokka blinked out into the sunlight, and was greeted by a roar of noise. 

The plaza was transformed. It wasn’t atypical for people to gather there, but Sokka hadn’t been prepared for the sheer mass of people assembled under the burning sun. A raised platform had been erected off to the side, and lined up in front of it were rows of seats meant for personal guests and especially important nobles. Behind that were the people of the Fire Nation, because Fire Lord Iroh had insisted that the event be open to the public.

They were there in the hundreds, a sea of people dressed in red and gold and waving flags decorated with the Fire Nation insignia and golden banners that glinted in the sunlight. Sokka couldn’t tell if they were cheering or simply screaming at him, and for a moment he was too startled to do anything more than stare at them, until someone touched his elbow and he remembered that he was supposed to be actually participating in this ceremony.

The Fire Sages stayed behind him as he walked towards the platform. This area of the plaza had been kept clear, so Sokka had an easy view of what awaited him as he approached the polished wooden stairs. 

There was a small group of people gathered at the top. A few Fire Sages, fanned out around the edges of the platform. Fire Lord Iroh, resplendent in deep crimson robes, peering down at Sokka with a smile he could see even from far away. To his left stood Hakoda, back straight and head held high. He looked impressive standing there with so much confidence, and Sokka hoped the people of the Fire Nation recognized strong leadership when they saw it. 

In the center of the platform, center stage, was Prince Zuko. Sokka eyed him carefully as he reached the bottom of the stairs and began to climb.

Zuko’s robes were cut similarly to Sokka’s, but cast in shades of red and trimmed with a shimmery gold fabric. His hair was pulled back out of his face in the front and the rest of it was down, hanging loose around his shoulders. He was standing tall, hands clasped behind his back, burn scar turned out to his people. Somewhere in the back of his mind, in some corner that wasn’t blank with panic, Sokka noted that Zuko was actually very attractive. 

Zuko’s gaze swept over Sokka as he reached the top of the platform. His expression was cool and impassive, and Sokka reminded himself that it didn’t matter _how_ attractive Zuko was if the guy still hated his guts. 

Sokka stepped into his place beside Zuko and turned to look out at the crowd. Behind him, the Fire Sage raised his hands in the air, and quiet washed over the people like a wave, until all that was left was a low murmur.

“People of the Fire Nation,” the Sage called in a loud voice incredibly disproportionate to his wiry frame. The sound carried across the crowd of people, quieting the last hushed whispers. “Esteemed guests.”

Sokka glanced towards the front row of seats just in front of the platform. Katara’s blue dress and Aang’s orange clothes stuck out from the red like spots of paint accidentally dripped over a canvas. Sokka forced his shoulders to relax back, trying to draw comfort from their proximity.

“We are gathered here today to witness the union of not only two men, but of two great nations. For too long our people have been kept separate by needless war and senseless violence, but today, under the divine rule of our esteemed Fire Lord Iroh-” The crowd cheered loudly, and the Fire Sage paused to let them, hands poised in the air. “And under the guidance of Avatar Aang, lost to us for one hundred years but now returned to oversee this time of peace-” More cheers. Sokka saw Aang awkwardly raise his hand in the air, twisting to wave at the crowd. “We are all here to witness an end to the great divide between these two nations- the Fire Nation, and the Water Tribe.”

The Sage stepped back, and another slid into his place, his voice seamlessly replacing the other. “Today, we present to you Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, son of Ozai and Ursa, brother to Princess Azula, cousin to Crown Prince Lu Ten, nephew of Fire Lord Iroh.” 

More cheers from the crowd. Sokka frowned faintly; he hadn’t heard anything about a sister. He wondered where they were hiding her. 

The Sage raised his hand, calling for silence. 

“We present to you,” he continued, “Prince Sokka, son of Hakoda and Kya, brother to Princess Katara, and heir to the Chiefdom of the Northern Water Tribe.”

The applause was tempered somewhat, more subdued than the others had been. Sokka could feel hundreds of eyes on him, looking over every inch of his appearance, waiting for his next movements. He kept his eyes fixed on the horizon of the crowd.

The Sage stepped back, and the last one took his place. When he spoke, it was in a voice meant just for those on the platform.

“Prince Zuko, Prince Sokka,” he said. “Please join hands.”

Sokka turned to find Prince Zuko already looking at him. They clasped hands, leaving them hanging in the space between them. Zuko’s hands were warm, smaller than Sokka’s, but where Sokka had expected to find smooth skin his fingers instead felt hard calluses Sokka recognized on himself from years of handling weapons. Reflexively, he brushed his thumb over one of them, and watched Zuko’s shoulders tighten infinitesimally. 

The Fire Sage raised his hand over theirs and took a deep breath. Flames sprouted up, dancing across the skin of their joined hands, thin ropes that twined around and around their hands and curved up their wrists. Sokka could feel the warmth, but it didn’t burn. He stared down at it, reverance drawn out of nowhere as he watched the bright light reflect off of their skin- his the same dark color as his father, as his mother, Prince Zuko’s smooth and pale. 

“By Agni’s divine light,” the Sage said, “I officially declare these two men joined evermore through the bond of marriage, until death bids them to part ways.” 

He flicked his wrist and the ropes of fire dissipated in a cloud of embers. Sokka stared down at his hands, which had tightened their grip around Zuko’s at some point during the ceremony, and then raised his eyes to look at Prince Zuko. His eyes shone like molten gold in the sunlight, just as wide and afraid as Sokka felt.

For a moment they stood there, suspended above the people of the Fire Nation, and Sokka thought that this mutual terror, this feeling of _what had they done_ , was the first time they had ever agreed with one another.

The people were cheering, but Sokka only heard it as though through a long tunnel. Zuko released one of his hands and turned, and Sokka mimicked him, tearing his gaze away to look back out at the people, Zuko’s subjects- _his_ subjects now, by proxy. They held onto one hand each, leaving it hanging between them to show a united front. 

“It is done,” said the Fire Sage. Sokka heard other sounds behind him, the shuffling of feet, the sound of Iroh and Hakoda shaking hands, congratulating one another. Prince Zuko remained beside him, hand very still in Sokka’s loose hold. Neither of them looked at each other again.

Sokka stared out at the sea of people in front of him, and felt nothing at all. 

X X X X X

Two celebrations took place that night: one in the streets, with the people, where there was loud music and greasy food being served on sticks and an air of fragile optimism that hadn’t been felt in the nation for many, many years. The other was hosted in the palace gardens, where nobles and guests of the royal family listened to a band pluck the strings of their instruments and ate finger foods from the palace kitchens.

Sokka knew which party he would rather be at. Unfortunately, the choice wasn’t left up to him.

He spent the first half of the night by his father’s side, accepting a long train of congratulations from people he neither knew nor cared about. Most of the people who approached them took the conversation as an opportunity to stare openly at Sokka’s clothes and his hair, and Sokka understood what animals in a zoo might feel. 

As the sun sank down in the sky, casting the sparse clouds overhead in shades of pinks and deep oranges, he slipped away from Hakoda and went to look for Katara and Aang. He found them sitting at a small table in the corner of the gardens, an impressive pile of empty plates spread out in front of them.

“There he is,” said Katara when she spotted him approaching. She smiled, setting her cup down on the edge of the table. From the loose set of her shoulders and faintly glazed look in her eyes, Sokka guessed that she had probably gotten into the liquor despite their father’s orders not to. “Congratulations, Prince Sokka of the Northern Water Tribe.”

“Shut up.” Sokka dropped into the empty seat next to Aang and reached out to snag the last spinach pastry off of his plate. Aang pulled a small face, but didn’t protest as Sokka took a huge bite.

“It went really well, Sokka,” he said.

Sokka chewed for a moment, then swallowed. “I don’t care,” he said. He brushed crumbs of flaky pastry off the front of his robes. “All I care about is that I haven’t been able to get drunk at my own fucking reception.”

Wordlessly, Katara pushed her cup over to him, answering Sokka’s silent question about its contents. He picked it up and took a huge gulp, and then choked when it burned his throat.

“Tui and La, Katara,” he said, setting the cup back down and coughing into his elbow.

“What?” Katara asked, blinking at him.

Sokka glanced at Aang, who just shrugged. “Have you talked to Prince Zuko a lot?” he asked. 

“No,” Sokka said. Iroh had kept Prince Zuko close by his side throughout the night, and although Sokka had gotten glimpses of him through the crowd, there hadn’t been an opportunity for them to actually discuss anything. Sokka didn’t feel particularly sorry about that. If he hadn’t had anything to say to Zuko before the wedding, he definitely didn’t have anything to say to him after the fact. 

“He’s so elitist,” Katara said.

Sokka raised an invisible cup to her. “Cheers.”

“I don’t think he’s that bad,” Aang said.

“I think I know my husband a little better than you do, Aang.” Sokka blinked, the magnitude of what he had just said hitting him all at once. “Holy shit. I have a _husband_.” 

“Cheer up, Sokka.” Aang smiled at him, trying to look comforting. “You only have to spend a year here, and then you can come home and hang out with us!”

“It’s still a whole _year_.” Sokka sighed, slouching down in his seat until his chin hit his chest. “This sucks. Can I just crash your guys’ trip and visit Toph?” 

“It’s not going to be a vacation,” Katara said. “We’re trying to find Aang an earthbending teacher.”

“Still better than staying here.”

Katara opened her mouth to say something else, then paused. Her eyes drifted above Sokka’s head. Sokka twisted in his seat to see a Fire Sage approaching him, his stiff posture at odds with the laughing, tipsy nobles around him. Sokka was beginning to dread seeing them pop up. 

“Prince Sokka,” he said, and then bowed to the table. “Avatar Aang, Princess Katara.” He glanced back at Sokka and said, “If you’ll follow me, Prince Sokka, it is time for you and Prince Zuko to take your leave.”

“Take our leave?” Sokka frowned at him. “The party’s not over yet.”

The Fire Sage simply stared at him. Sokka sighed and turned back to Aang and Katara. “I guess it’s bedtime,” he said. He leaned forward and snagged Katara’s cup again, draining it in one swift move. She pulled a face of protest as he set it down, and he pointed at her and said, “That was for your own good. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Sokka,” Aang said, waving cheerfully at him as he stood up. 

The Fire Sage said nothing as he led Sokka through the crowd. Sokka kept his gaze fixed on the tip of his pointed hat and tried to ignore the people staring at him. He was getting pretty good at it.

A small platform for the band had been built under the cover of a large cherry blossom tree, which hadn’t yet flowered. There was a group of Fire Sages beside it, as well as Fire Lord Iroh, Prince Zuko, and Sokka’s father. 

Hakoda eyed Sokka as he approached. “I thought I asked you to stay close to me tonight,” he said.

Sokka bared his teeth at him in a forced smile. “I got lost.” He glanced at Prince Zuko, who was staring at his own feet and carefully not looking at Sokka. Sokka resisted the urge to glare at him.

“Prince Sokka,” Iroh said, smiling warmly at him. Despite Sokka’s feelings towards Zuko, he had come to quite like the Fire Lord, something he hadn’t thought possible before. He didn’t entirely trust that his amiable nature wasn’t just a facade, but it was difficult to dislike someone who made you tea so often. “I hope you had a chance to enjoy the festivities.”

Sokka crossed his arm over his chest and bowed at the waist. “I did, Fire Lord Iroh,” he said. “Thank you for arranging all of this.”

“There’s no need to bow to me, my boy,” Iroh said, gesturing for Sokka to straighten up. “You’re my nephew-in-law now! As important as formality is, I tend to value family ties just a bit more.” 

A few of the Fire Sages looked like they wanted to disagree with him, but none of them dared speak against the Fire Lord. Instead, one of them took a step forward and said, “We’re ready to make the announcement at your leave, my lord.”

Iroh waved a hand. “Proceed.” 

Sokka frowned at his father, trying to silently ask what was going on, but before Hakoda could say anything the Fire Sage gestured for the band to stop playing. They quieted immediately, and all the guests turned to look at the platform as one.

The head Fire Sage raised their hand in the air and said, “Prince Zuko and Prince Sokka will now take their leave for the night,” he declared in a voice that carried through the lamp-lit gardens.

The few guests that were still sitting stood up, and as though they’d all rehearsed it- actually, they might have- they all dipped into low bows. Sokka shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to all the bowing they did here. 

The Fire Sage turned back to them and, eyes moving between Sokka and Zuko, said, “Please follow me.” 

“Goodnight, boys,” Iroh said as the Fire Sage started walking. “And congratulations!”

Zuko nodded at his uncle and turned to follow the Sage. Sokka looked at his father with wide eyes, but Hakoda just shrugged, looking faintly puzzled.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he promised.

Sokka just pursed his lips, then turned to hurry after both Zuko and the Fire Sage, who were exiting the garden quickly without a glance back at him.

He managed to catch up with them inside the palace, halfway down the hall that he knew led to the royal family’s wing of the palace. He fell into step beside Zuko, keeping a firm foot of space between them, and tried to figure out the reason for all of these dramatics. It had been a long day, and he wasn’t necessarily opposed to the idea of turning in early, but he didn’t know why they needed such an intense escort. 

He glanced over his shoulder, where the rest of the Fire Sages had fallen into line behind them, and then at Prince Zuko, whose gaze was fixed ahead of him.

“Uh,” he said. “What’s going on?”

Zuko exhaled in a huff. His lips were fixed into a frown, and he looked very tense. Tenser than usual, anyways.

“Tradition,” he said.

“Right,” Sokka said as they mounted the stairwell. “Could you give me an actual answer just like, once?”

Zuko looked at him out of the corner of his eye. He was walking on Sokka’s right, so his scar was on full display. Sokka could clearly see where the rough edges smoothed out into unburned skin once more. He wondered what the transition would feel like, if he were to touch it. 

“You didn’t do any research whatsoever on Fire Nation traditions before you came, did you,” he said.

Sokka scowled at him. “Can’t say I’ve ever had much of an interest in it, your highness.” 

Zuko’s lips flattened out.

The Fire Sage in front of them stopped rather abruptly in front of a closed door. They were in an offshoot of the royal family’s wing, one that Sokka had poked around a little bit in before abandoning due to lack of interest. As far as he’d been aware, it was just a hall full of empty bedrooms, perhaps left over from a time when the royal family had been larger.

The Fire Sage pulled open the door and bowed to them. “The wedding chambers, my lords,” he said.

Zuko nodded and entered the room. Sokka stared at the Sage.

“The wedding what now?” he asked.

The Fire Sage’s expression didn’t change, but he still managed to look completely done with Sokka’s questions anyways. He flicked his wrist towards the open door, still half-bowed at the waist. Sokka hesitated a moment longer before following after Zuko, if only out of curiosity for what was inside. 

As soon as he passed over the threshold, the door closed behind him. Sokka jumped a bit, then shoved back his nerves and looked around the room.

It was a bedroom, almost identical to Sokka’s, with a low couch and table in the center and a canopied bed in the corner. A fire was already burning bright in the fireplace, and multiple other candles around the room ensured that the space was well lit. 

“Um,” Sokka said. Prince Zuko had gone to stand by the window, drawing the thick red curtains back far enough to peer out. “What is this?”

“The wedding chambers.”

“Yes, I gathered that much, thank you. Why are we here?” 

Zuko dropped the curtain and turned to face him. His expression was very blank, but tinged with some emotion Sokka didn’t recognize.

“It’s tradition,” he said in that soft, raspy voice of his. The candles continued to flicker around them, casting odd shadows against the walls. “This room is reserved for royal couples to share on their first night together after the wedding.”

Sokka frowned. “What, every royal couple has to have a state-sanctioned sleepover after they get hitched?”

Zuko’s gaze dropped to somewhere around Sokka’s feet. In the dim light, Sokka noticed that there were spots of pink in his unburned cheek, and suddenly Sokka realized why he seemed so uncomfortable.

“Holy shit,” he said, stomach swooping. He shouldn’t have eaten that spinach pastry. “They brought us here to _fuck_?” 

Zuko’s lips drew back in a grimace. “You don’t need to be so crass.”

“But that’s what this is, isn’t it?” Sokka raised a hand up to tug at his ponytail, then let it fall back to his side. “Holy shit,” he repeated.

“Is that not what happens in the Water Tribe?”

“Well, I mean, _maybe_ , I don’t know, that kind of stuff is private!” Sokka didn’t know where to look- not the couch, _not_ the bed, and _definitely_ not Zuko. He shook his head and said, “Absolutely not, I’m going back to sleep in _my_ room.”

He turned and reached for the door handle, but Zuko’s voice interrupted him before he could grab it. “You don’t want to do that,” he said, his voice sharper than usual. 

Sokka curled his fingers into a fist and turned back to glare at him. “Excuse me?” 

Zuko blinked. He took a small step back, as though startled by Sokka’s anger. _Good_. “Not- I don’t mean-” He took a moment to clear his throat, then said, “The Fire Sages will still be outside. I only meant- it will be difficult to leave.”

Sokka raised his eyebrows so high it almost hurt. “Are you telling me those dudes stand outside all night while the royal couple fucks?”

“Please stop saying that.”

Sokka shook his head. His face felt very warm, and he still couldn’t quite look at Zuko. “This is so gross,” he said, wondering how many other couples had been shoved into this room and kept under guard for the rest of the night, all to make sure the marriage was consummated. Sokka hadn’t heard of anything like that occuring in either of the Water Tribes, but he supposed he didn’t know much about the Earth Kingdom’s customs. Maybe it was more common than he thought? 

“We don’t have to actually _do_ anything.” At Zuko’s tone, Sokka finally looked back over to find the prince glaring at him. His face looked very red, but that might have been due to the nature of the lighting in the room. “I certainly wasn’t expecting to.”

“Yeah, no shit,” Sokka said with a scowl. “I’m just wondering why no one bothered to fucking tell me.” 

“I’m not to blame for that. You told me not to talk to you.”

“I said we shouldn’t talk to _each other_ , because you always turn it into an argument!”

“I do not!” 

Sokka threw his hands in the air and said, “I’m not doing this tonight.” He walked over to the bed and glanced at the two neatly folded piles of red fabric at the base of it, and groaned. “I don’t even get my own fucking pajamas?” 

“I’m so sorry this is such a massive burden on you.” Zuko came up beside Sokka and snatched up one of the piles of clothes. His voice was nearly a snarl at this point, and although Sokka’s own temper was flaring in response, he couldn’t help but feel a bit grateful for the demonstration of emotion. It was nice to know Prince Zuko was a little more human than his typical silent treatment might suggest. “This was definitely a huge, elaborate scheme to inconvenience you and only you. My apologies.” 

“Oh yeah? Well, I’m sorry I’m just a little bit uncomfortable with being locked in a room and asked to fuck someone I don’t even know!”

“Stop saying that!” Zuko’s face was definitely red, and Sokka felt a private stab of vindication at his discomfort.

“Fine,” Sokka said. He grabbed the other set of pajamas and said, “Let’s just go to bed so we can wake up in the morning and leave.” He narrowed his eyes. “I get to go back to my own room tomorrow night, right?”

“Thankfully, yes,” Zuko said, dropping his pajamas on the couch and turning away from Sokka.

Sokka glared at him, and was ready to say something else when Zuko undid the fastenings on his robes and pulled them up and over his head. He was still wearing the same baggy trousers Sokka had on underneath his own robes, and he kept his back turned, but he was suddenly very shirtless and Sokka found that he suddenly couldn’t quite remember what he was going to say. 

Zuko’s usual choice in clothing did an excellent job of hiding his figure, apparently. He was thin, but his arms were clearly defined, and when he bent over to pick up the shirt that had been provided for him Sokka could see the muscles in his back shifting. His skin was smooth and unblemished, glowing faintly in the candlelight, and Sokka quickly turned away to stare at the opposite wall.

Sokka glowered at nothing as he undid his own robes. He shouldn’t be surprised by his own reaction- he’d had enough experience to know that he definitely danced on both sides of the campfire, so to speak, and he’d already privately acknowledged the fact that Prince Zuko was objectively attractive- but he was still annoyed by it. Even more annoying was the thought that if Zuko’s personality were just a little more bearable, this night might have gone very differently.

Sokka waited until he’d changed into his own pajamas, and then kicked his robes off to the side and turned around. Zuko had already folded his robes and left them on the table, and was now just standing there looking very uncomfortable.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” he said. He had on the same loose red shirt and pants as Sokka, but his were a size too large, and hung off of his thin frame.

“Absolutely not,” Sokka said. “I’m not sleeping on the royal fuck bed. I’ll take the couch.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he said. 

Sokka went to sit down on the couch. Zuko crawled onto the bed, and then sat up on his knees to grasp the curtain and yank it closed. Sokka stared in disbelief as he shuttered himself in, pulling the heavy fabric until he was completely hidden from view.

“Can I have like, a pillow or something?” Sokka asked.

There was a moment of silence, and then the curtains were pulled back just enough for a pillow to come flying out, followed shortly by a balled-up blanket. Sokka huffed and stood up again to retrieve them from the floor.

“Thanks a lot,” he said. “I’ll just put all these candles out on my own, then.”

A thin, pale hand poked out from the curtains, waved itself in the air, and in a single moment all of the candles were snuffed out. Even the fireplace was extinguished, leaving the room pitch dark, and Sokka glared in the direction of the bed.

“Thanks a _lot_ ,” he said.

He had to feel his way back to the couch, waving a hand in front of him to make sure he didn’t knock into anything. He threw the pillow down and sank down into the cushions, drawing the blanket over him. It was actually a pretty comfortable couch, but Sokka wished that he was in his own stupid bed in his own stupid Fire Nation room. Scratch that- in his own _not-stupid_ bed at home. 

He pressed his cheek into the silk fabric of the pillowcase and stared into the darkness. He could hear the bed shifting across the room as Prince Zuko got comfortable on the mattress. As his _husband_ got comfortable on the mattress- Sokka was still struggling to reconcile that reality in his mind. He had gotten married today. This was probably going to be his only shot at a wedding, at his wedding night, and he was sleeping on a couch while his husband hid himself away behind curtains and very aggressively ignored him. 

Sokka suddenly thought, absurdly, of Yue. He wondered what she was doing right now. If things had gone the way he’d always thought they would, what would this night have looked like for them? 

He felt heat prickling at his eyes, and flipped over to press his face into the couch cushions to stem whatever emotions were arising. He didn’t want to do anything stupid that Prince Zuko would hear.

He thought it would take a long time to fall asleep, but the events of the day must have taken more out of him than he’d thought, because he slipped off pretty quickly. When he woke late the next morning to sunlight streaming through the windows, the curtains had been drawn back from the bed, which was empty.

Prince Zuko had already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) 
> 
> I hope you're all doing well! School is kinda kicking my ass rn (thank you Zoom University) so updates are definitely going to be a little slower, but I'll try to keep them consistent! Thank you for your support and comments- please, please leave a comment to let me know what you think, I use them to reward myself for doing schoolwork, so you are directly helping my education hehe
> 
> Have an amazing day y'all! <3


	8. interlude i

INTERLUDE I

Caldera was a relatively small city, but the roads were narrow and coiled tightly around the buildings, granting them a rather sprawling infrastructure of roadways. The buildings themselves were packed so tightly together that there were only inches of space between one household and another. All of this meant that despite the tight-knit nature of the city, there was an impressive amount of people coexisting in one place.

It also meant that there were a lot of corners to hide in, places tucked carefully away from the prying eyes of the royal palace and its guards. 

It was long after midnight, and there was a woman walking through the streets. She was wearing a dark hood pulled low over her face, casting her features into shadows even darker than those she was slipping through. The section of Caldera that she was traveling through was one of the lowest circles, primarily full of the very poor and destitute. The establishments here were of the seedier variety, bars and under-the-table pawn shops that most respectable Fire Nation citizens wouldn’t even think twice about.

The streets were in desperate need of repair, the kind of streets that would make a carriage driver curse the palace for their lack of attention to the less fortunate parts of the city. Despite this, the woman’s footsteps were steady and sure, silent against the cobblestone. She walked this path often, and knew which routes were the quietest.

She turned a sharp corner down an alleyway, dark and narrow enough that if she spread her arms out to either side her fingers would brush both dirty walls. She tucked her head down low, stepping carefully over discarded garbage and scraps of food that had been left out to the flies. If she was at all bothered by the state of this alley, she didn’t let it slow her down. 

The alley was a dead end, but one of the back doors leading to it had been left slightly ajar. There was a small sliver of light poking through the crack, easy enough to miss if you weren’t looking for it. The woman, however, _was_ looking for it, and she approached it swiftly, ducking under an overhang dripping with water from a recent rain. She grasped the corner of the door and slipped inside.

She found herself in the store room of some kind of restaurant or bar. There were barrels full of grain and crates of almost-fresh vegetables stacked around the walls. A single candle flickered in a sconce of the wall, so faint she had to squint at the ground to make sure she wasn’t tripping over anything as she crossed the room.

She stepped through the doorway and into a kitchen that was marginally more well lit. It was empty except for a young boy, no more than ten or eleven, crouched in the fireplace with a scrubbing brush.

He looked up when the woman entered, brown eyes wide in his face. There was soot streaked across his cheeks.

“They’re upstairs, ma’am,” he said, and then twisted to go back to scrubbing the bricks of the fireplace.

The woman knew this already, but she had always liked children, so she simply nodded and carried on her way. She left the kitchen and turned right, stepping onto the first step leading to the building’s second story. At this late hour the bar was abandoned, and she didn’t spare more than a glance at the dark tables and chairs below her.

She could hear voices ahead of her as she climbed the stairwell. She trailed her fingers along the smooth railing, keeping her chin lowered as she climbed. 

The second floor hallway was short and dark. There was a door at the end, cracked open as though to greet her, with light and voices spilling out of it. She walked towards it without hesitation, placing a hand on the rough wood and pushing it open.

It was a small room with hardly any furniture aside from a long, low table in the center and several chairs pushed around it. A fire flickered low in the candlelight. Most of the chairs were occupied, and there were a number of drinks and bottles spread out on the table around a large piece of paper. 

The people around the table looked up when the woman entered. It was a varied group of people, mostly older men with graying hair and tight scowls, but no other distinctive characteristics tying them together except for their mutual presence in this tired, dirty room.

“Sorry I’m late.” The woman walked over to the last remaining chair and sat down, keeping her chin tilted forward so the hood didn’t slip back. “I hope I didn’t miss anything important.”

One of the men pulled a sour expression and opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the younger man beside him.

“Not at all.” He leaned back in his chair and regarded the woman, lips tilted up in a smile that might have been pleasant if not for the hard look in his eyes. “We were just discussing the royal wedding. I hope you had the opportunity to attend.” 

“Everyone in Caldera City was there.”

“Yes,” said the man from before, obviously tired of holding his tongue. His face twisted into a grimace. “Half the nation gathered to witness the pollution of the royal line. My ancestors were weeping.”

“Not just his ancestors,” murmured one of the other men, and the others had to quickly stifle their laughter when that sharp grimace was turned on them. 

“It was quite the affair.” The younger man was still watching the woman carefully, as though waiting for her to attack. She sat perfectly still and stared back at him, eyes hidden beneath the folds of her hood. “Prince Zuko and that Water Tribe prince make a fine couple, don’t you think?”

“I haven’t made my mind up either way,” the woman said. 

“Prince Zuko is a disgrace to his nation,” said one of the other men.

“Prince Zuko isn’t the problem,” the younger man said, his voice hard, cutting through the murmurs of assent that had sprung up around the table. He arched one eyebrow at them, dissuading any further conversation, then turned back to regard the young woman. “That water brat is the problem. It would be a shame if something were to happen to him. I find it difficult to believe the Northern Water Tribe wouldn’t take… offense, if something were to happen to their prince under Fire Lord Iroh’s watch.”

When the woman spoke again, it was with a note of amusement. “Careful, Zhao,” she said. “That kind of talk is treason.”

“And we all know how our esteemed Fire Lord deals with treason,” Zhao said, drawing more laughter from his companions. He let it continue for a moment, and then held his hand up to stop it. “That’s enough of that,” he said. “We have very important matters to discuss tonight, and I wouldn’t want to waste our guest’s time. Shall we?”

The woman tilted her head up just enough to stare out at him with eyes so dark it was impossible to distinguish between pupil and iris. When she smiled, it was stiff, jilted by the scar tissue crawling up her throat.

“Let’s.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ✧･ﾟ: *brief intermission for plot✧･ﾟ:*
> 
> Just wanted to throw this mini chapter/interlude up because it sort of marks the end of part one of this story! The next chapter is well underway and contains a lot more Zukka, so I hope to have that up soon :) Thank you so much for reading!


	9. zuko iii

ZUKO III

Zuko stared out across the pond, where a trio of turtleducks were splashing in the water. The rest of them were floating idly by the shore, heads tucked against their wings as they rested. Zuko had already divvied up a loaf of bread between them and the older ones were taking the time now to digest their meals, while the younger animals burned off their energy by diving beneath the water and splashing one another. 

It was soothing to watch them. Their movements were simple and repetitive, and Zuko found that his mind never wandered to darker subjects when he was sitting here. Mostly he didn’t think much at all when he was by the turtleduck pond. It was easy to let his mind glaze over, not unlike how it felt to meditate with a candle, something his uncle always suggested he do when he couldn’t sleep.

Zuko drew his knees in close to his chest and tucked his chin on top of them. One of the turtleduck chicks flapped their wing, spraying another with water and enticing an indignant squawk out of them. Zuko smiled faintly.

Several days had passed since the wedding. The ceremony itself had gone surprisingly well. Prince Sokka had actually shown up, which had surprised Zuko, and he hadn’t declared the match unsuitable or publicly denounced Zuko or anything Zuko had expected to happen. The Fire Sages had performed the ceremonial rites and declared the match binding and that had been that- Zuko was now officially married.

Everything that had come after that had been a shit show. He wished someone had told Prince Sokka about the wedding chambers. Zuko knew, logically, that being caught off guard like that was sure to put anyone in a bad mood, but Sokka had been so clearly repulsed by the mere idea of being intimate in any way with Zuko that Zuko hadn’t been able to help the sharp hurt he’d felt. It was stupid, of course. Prince Sokka had hated him before the wedding, and there was no reason for that to change now that they’d actually gone through with it. 

It had been so terribly stupid of him to hope that anything would change.

He hadn’t seen Sokka at all in the days since the wedding. Zuko had politely declined his uncle’s invitations to dinner, and Iroh had let it pass because the ceremony was already finished, and there was no one to win over anymore. In a few days Chief Hakoda, the Avatar, and Princess Katara would leave, and Prince Sokka would be stuck here for a year, but there were no further reasons for Zuko to try and impress the group. He’d tried, he’d failed, and he no longer wished to put himself through anymore humiliation at the hands of his new husband and the rest of their guests.

Zuko had been sitting at the turtleduck pond for a very long time- probably too long, because there were certainly other things he should be doing- when his uncle came to find him. Zuko stared out at the turtleducks, who had finished playing and were now drifting peacefully through the water, and didn’t look up as Iroh settled in the grass beside him with a soft groan.

“I thought I would find you here, nephew,” he said.

Zuko pressed his chin harder against his knees and said nothing. 

“I haven’t seen you these past few days,” Iroh said. “How have you been?”

“Fine.”

Iroh waited for a moment, giving Zuko space to expand upon that. When he didn’t, he sighed and said, “Am I to surmise that things didn’t go well in the wedding chambers?”

Zuko twisted his head to glare at his uncle. “Obviously not,” he said. “Why didn’t anyone inform Prince Sokka of that tradition?”

Iroh looked faintly regretful. “An oversight, my boy,” he said. “I thought that the Fire Sages would give him the full instructions, but it has been many years since a wedding like this has taken place, and they are unused to working with people from other cultures. I believe they assumed he would already know. You have my apologies for that.”

Zuko looked back to the turtleducks. “Whatever,” he said. “It doesn’t matter.”

“If there’s anything I can do to ease this process for you, Zuko, I-”

“I’m fine,” Zuko said, his voice a bit sharper than he intended. He squeezed his arms tighter around his knees and said more quietly, “I’m fine. I just want to be left alone.”

He didn’t look at Iroh as his uncle sat there a moment, and then stood up. He expected to be left immediately after that, but when Iroh didn’t move Zuko looked up at him.

“This is for you.” Iroh withdrew a small white envelope from his sleeve and held it out. Zuko took it, glancing at the blank paper, and then looked back up quizzically.

“It was meant to be here by the wedding,” Iroh said with a small smile, “but it was temporarily held up in transit. I hope it will still ease your mind.” He bowed his head, then turned and left, meandering away down one of the garden paths.

Zuko looked at the envelope. Slowly he uncoiled, shifting to sit with his legs crossed, and flipped the envelope over. It was sealed with wax, which had been pressed with a seal embossed with the image of a fire lily on it. It was a generic seal, one that could be easily found at any market, but there were very few people with this style of seal who would be able to get a message through to him. He felt his heart jump into his throat as he tore the envelope open, shaking out the sheet of thick parchment paper inside and glancing at the familiar scrawl inside. He began to read- 

_My dearest Zuko,_

_Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. My apologies for not having written sooner, but news travels impossibly slow in my little corner of the world. It took nearly a month past the coronation for the entire village to be informed of Fire Lord Iroh’s ascent to the throne, and yet another for everyone to believe it! The people here are simple and fixed in their ways, but in most instances that is more of a comfort than a flaw._

_I’ve heard that you are to be married to a prince from the Northern Water Tribe. I know very little about their customs, but from what I have been told they seem like a respectable kind of people. I’ve prayed to Agni that whichever prince lucky enough to have your hand is aware of your kindness and strength, and of your many talents. He is a truly lucky man to be betrothed to someone as wonderful as you._

_I miss you ardently and daily. My life here is calm and quiet, and although I am grateful for the respite after the madness of court, my heart aches to be so far from you. I wish I could be with you on the day of your wedding. Instead, know that I am thinking of you, and that I love you very much. Perhaps one day in the future, when you are settled into your new life, you will have an opportunity to come visit me. My door is always open to you and your new husband._

_Congratulations again, my dear son. May Agni bless you and this new chapter in your life._

_Love Always,_

_Mother_

Zuko reached the end of the letter, and then went back to the top and re-read it. After he had finished it a second time he carefully folded the parchment once more and slipped it back into the envelope. He set it beside him in the grass and leaned back on his hands, returning his gaze to the turtleducks. 

Correspondence from his mother was far and few in between, but whenever Zuko saw her handwriting her absence flared fresh in his chest like a dull ache that never quite went away, but simply slipped into the background when he wasn’t thinking of it. He hadn’t seen her since he’d been eleven, since she’d been banished and forced to leave without so much as a goodbye to either of her children. 

He’d never asked his uncle to reverse the banishment. He knew the answer he’d receive, and he also knew that his mother was well settled into her new life in the tiny fishing village she’d grown up in, and was happy with her new husband. The last time she had written Zuko, she’d told him that they were considering taking in a child to raise as their own. It was clear that no matter how much she loved Zuko, she had no interest in returning to Caldera City, not even to be with him.

It should have stung, but Zuko was simply grateful for the little contact he did have with her. A father locked far beneath the palace and a mother once banished and now uninterested in coming to be with him were all that Zuko had, but he was grateful for even that much. His parents were alive, at least. That was all he could hope to ask for. 

Zuko stayed at the turtleduck pond a while longer, and then got up to return to his rooms. He slipped the letter into his pocket for safekeeping as he walked. When he returned to his chambers, he would place it in the small wooden box he kept in his closet that stored the rest of them.

X X X X X

Five days after the wedding, their guests left.

They saw Chief Hakoda off first. The ship they had taken to come to Caldera had been kept at the docks, and they traveled in separate carriages down to say their goodbyes. Zuko rode with Iroh. There was little conversation between them. Zuko kept his gaze fixed on the window, watching the buildings fall away as they approached the harbor. 

The docks were a flurry of activity when they arrived. Many people had gathered there, hoping for a glimpse of the Fire Lord and the visiting chief. Dock workers were busy loading the ship with enough supplies to see the crew home, and warriors dressed in blue were already aboard, standing on the deck and gazing out at the horizon.

The send-off was quiet compared to the loud affair that had accompanied their arrival. Zuko and Iroh stood with Avatar Aang while Chief Hakoda embraced first his daughter, and then Prince Sokka. The two of them stood there for a very long time, arms wrapped tightly around one another, and Zuko forced himself to look away from what was clearly a very private moment.

Finally they drew apart, and Sokka stepped back to stand with his sister. His face was dry, but his eyes shone suspiciously in the bright sunlight, and his mouth was set into a hard frown Zuko could tell was meant to stamp down on any other emotions. For the first time, Zuko felt a bit sorry for Prince Sokka.

Chief Hakoda said a few private words to Avatar Aang, who nodded so much it looked like his head was on a spring, and then dipped into a low bow. Hakoda clapped the boy on the shoulder, then turned to Iroh and Zuko.

“Thank you very much for your hospitality, Fire Lord Iroh. It was an honor to stay in your palace.”

“The honor was all mine, Chief Hakoda.” Iroh returned Hakoda’s bow with one of his own, then straightened up and smiled at him. “You are welcome back to Caldera City any time. I hope that this is a start to a long and mutually beneficial friendship between our people.”

Hakoda nodded. Then he looked at Zuko, who straightened up, suddenly very nervous.

He half-expected Hakoda to lecture him about something. Instead he just looked at Zuko very seriously and said, “Treat my son well, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko swallowed. He nodded, and then bowed to the chief. 

They stood on the dock and watched as Chief Hakoda boarded the ship. He left behind a handful of soldiers behind to keep watch over his son. They stood off to the side, spears held high in salute as the dock keepers undid the ropes keeping the ship tied to the docks and the boat’s foreman called for the anchor to be raised. 

The wind was strong that day, and it didn’t take long for the ship to be swept into the harbor. They stood and watched as it sailed away, disappearing slowly but surely over the horizon. 

They all travelled back to the palace, and not long after they arrived they were gathered once more in the plaza to see the Avatar and Princess Katara off. Appa was waiting for them, saddle securely on his back and loaded with supplies and gifts from the royal family. 

“Thank you for the hospitality, Fire Lord Iroh,” Aang said, bowing to Iroh. The lemur was perched on his shoulder again, and looked more interested in fiddling with the collar of the Avatar’s shirt than he did in saying goodbye to anyone. 

“I wish you the best of luck in finding an earthbending master, Avatar Aang,” Iroh said with a smile. “We look forward to hosting you when the time comes for you to master firebending.” 

Aang shot a toothy grin at him, then turned to Zuko. His smile widened and he said, “If you don’t say bye to Appa he’ll sulk for the entire journey.”

Zuko opened his mouth to decline, but Iroh pressed a hand to his shoulder and said, “We wouldn’t want that, would we? Go say goodbye to the sky bison, Zuko.”

Zuko scowled at his uncle, but dutifully followed the Avatar over to the bison waiting for them. Sokka and Katara were standing off to the side, hands clasped between them, heads ducked very close together as they spoke. Zuko averted his eyes once more and instead focused on Appa, who made a soft sound as Zuko and Aang approached. 

“I had a super fun time in Caldera,” Aang said, bouncing forward to lay a hand on Appa’s side. Zuko approached at a slower pace, eyeing Appa warily as he raised his hand to his cheek. He’d only interacted with the bison once, after all, and he wasn’t sure how long their memories lasted, but as soon as Zuko got close enough Appa knocked his head to the side to headbutt Zuko’s palm. Zuko gave a small smile and dug his fingers into the soft fur.

“I’m glad,” he said quietly.

“It’s a lot different than it used to be, but still really cool.” Aang leaned around Appa’s flat nose to smile at him. “And it was super nice to meet you.”

Zuko ducked his head, unable to hold the eye contact out of fear that his embarrassment would shine through. Instead he patted Appa’s fur and remained quiet.

Aang seemed to hesitate a moment. He glanced over his shoulder, where Sokka and Katara were hugging fiercely, and then turned back to Zuko. “I know you and Sokka haven’t been getting along very well,” he said, “but you seem really nice. I think if you give it enough time, you guys will become friends.”

Zuko almost laughed out loud, but stopped himself at the last moment. He pressed his lips very tightly together, but before he could say anything, Katara said from behind them, “Are you ready, Aang?”

They both turned. Katara was approaching Appa; there were tear tracks on her face, but she made no move to wipe them off. There was a quiet strength in the way she held her head high and let her emotions show clearly on her face. Zuko envied it. 

“Ready when you are, sweetheart,” Aang said with a smile.

Behind Katara, Sokka didn’t look much better. He was looking resolutely at the ground, and his expression was twisted into a grimace. Zuko felt another flare of sympathy for him.

Katara slipped the bag she was carrying off her shoulder and held it out to Aang. “Could you put this in the saddle for me?”

“Sure!” Aang grabbed the bag, grinned again at Zuko, then jumped straight up into the air, letting the swirling wind around him carry him to the saddle. 

Katara took a step closer to Zuko. When he looked at her, her expression was suddenly very fierce.

“I’ll be in constant communication with my brother, Prince Zuko,” she said in a low voice. “Whatever treatment he receives here will be echoed back to you tenfold when you arrive in Agna Qel’a. Keep out of his way, and you can be assured the same will be done for you. If I hear that you’ve mistreated him, the same courtesy will be extended to you.”

Zuko frowned. He wanted to protest, because _Sokka_ was always the one who started their arguments, but before he could Aang was leaning over the edge of the saddle and said, “We should get going, Katara, the glowing koi fish only come out right after sunset!” 

Katara took a step back from Zuko, expression smoothing back out. She dipped her head to him and said, “Prince Zuko.”

Zuko backed away to stand next to his uncle and Prince Sokka as Aang helped Katara up into the saddle. The Avatar went to perch near Appa’s head, taking the reigns in both hands. He smiled down and waved at them, and then flicked his wrist and called out, “Appa, yip yip!”

The bison moved its tail high into the air and then brought it down to push off from the ground. Zuko watched with that same nervous awe that he’d greeted them with as the bison lifted into the air. They soared high, moving with incredible speed, and lingered long enough to make one loop around the plaza for the onlookers below before straightening out and disappearing over the horizon.

“What a wonderful method of transportation,” Iroh said, his face lifted up to the sky. He looked at Zuko and said, “Don’t forget that we’re meeting with the representative from Ba Sing Se before dinner tonight, Prince Zuko. I’ll see you then.”

He turned and left, walking back towards the palace. Zuko was left standing beside Prince Sokka, who kept his gaze fixed on the horizon where Appa had disappeared. His eyes were dry and clear again, but Zuko could read his misery in the sharp lines of his frown. For better or for worse, Sokka wasn’t especially gifted at hiding his emotions.

Zuko hesitated, certain that if he tried to say anything he would only start another argument. Still, he knew how difficult it was to be left alone, and he didn’t envy Sokka’s position at all.

“Appa likes you.” Sokka’s voice was quiet. Zuko glanced at him, startled, because he hadn’t thought that Sokka had been paying any attention at all to him that day.

“I’m good with animals,” Zuko said. 

Sokka pursed his lips. He was still staring very hard up into the sky, like if he waited long enough the bison would come swooping back into sight.

“We’re, uh,” Zuko said, trying to find a neutral topic to seize onto. “I think we’re having squid for dinner tonight.”

He felt Sokka’s eyes shift to him, felt his gaze on his burning cheeks. After a moment of silence he turned and walked away without a word, footsteps echoing dully against the hot stones of the plaza.

Zuko reached up to press the palms of his hands to his eyes. He rubbed them for a moment, wishing he was near a window so he could fling himself out of it.

“Why am I so bad at being a person?” he asked aloud to no one.

X X X X X

Zuko twirled his right dao in his hand, letting his fingers skim across the worn leather handle. He’d been practicing for the better part of an hour now, moving through his forms and practice poses slowly to make sure he got them all perfect. His shoulders ached with the pleasant soreness that always accompanied exercise, and he was feeling sufficiently worn out, which had been Zuko’s goal in coming to the training room. Now that he’d exhausted his energy, the stupid meeting he had to attend with his uncle later might be a little more bearable. 

Zuko raised his left sword above his head, dropping the right behind his back, and twisted around to swing them both out- only to freeze when he spotted the figure standing in the doorway.

Prince Sokka was leaning against the door frame, eyes fixed on Zuko. He was frowning, his gaze very intense. He was wearing a thin blue tunic and loose trousers, and his hair was tied back in a simple ponytail. He’d likely come to train himself.

Zuko lowered his swords. “Prince Sokka,” he said, trying to pretend that his heart wasn’t pounding. “Do you need something?”

Sokka didn’t respond. He pushed himself off of the door frame and walked across the room towards the weapons rack. Zuko watched with a kind of masochistic curiosity as Sokka regarded the rack for a moment and then plucked one of the swords off of it.

“Spar with me,” he said, turning back to Zuko.

Zuko blinked. “What?”

“You can use those swords.” Sokka toed his shoes off and stepped onto the padded training mat. “Let’s spar.”

Zuko eyed Sokka’s grip. “Have you trained with swords before?” he asked, because although Sokka was clearly skilled with a spear, Zuko hadn’t thought that the Water Tribes used swords that often.

It was the wrong thing to say. Sokka’s gaze narrowed, and he twirled his sword once in an easy, practiced movement. 

Sokka stopped a few feet from Zuko and raised his weapon. Zuko hesitated only a moment longer before mimicking him, holding both of his swords up in front of him and watching Sokka’s movements carefully. 

For a moment, neither of them moved, but simply watched the other. The energy in the room had shifted very quickly, turning tense, prickling with some energy Zuko couldn’t place. Zuko dropped his gaze briefly to Sokka’s feet, checking his stance. It was a little sturdier than it should have been, more suitable to using a heavier weapon.

Sokka’s toes slid forward, and Zuko raised his eyes again to see him start to strike. It was a hard lunge at Zuko’s left side, faster than Zuko expected, and he barely managed to bring his swords up in time to block it. 

He sidestepped, using the momentum to shove Sokka off. The clash of metal on metal echoed loudly in the small training room.

Zuko spun around and raised his swords again, narrowing his eyes. Sokka gave his weapon another twirl. He was grinning now, a smug kind of expression that immediately ruffled Zuko’s own temper. A strand of white hair had slipped out of his ponytail, falling to frame his bright blue eyes.

Zuko brought both swords together and swung at Sokka’s right side. Sokka blocked it and Zuko slid one sword around to the left. Sokka blocked this one, too, but it was much clumsier, and his grip wasn’t quite right; Zuko felt his wrist give, just a little bit.

They went back and forth in the same fashion. Zuko found himself surprised by Sokka’s raw talent, but that’s all he had. It was clear that whatever training he’d received in swordsmanship was cursory at best. He knew the basics well enough to hold his own, but his mistakes were obvious and his moves were fast, but predictable.

Still, he fought with a kind of intensity that kept the match going far longer than Zuko expected it to. His skills weren’t refined, but he threw enough force behind them to keep Zuko on his toes, and his reflexes were fast enough that Zuko was having trouble landing a blow on him. Zuko thought to himself that if Sokka received just a little bit of training, he would be a very impressive swordsman.

At the end of the day, though, Zuko was the one who’d been training with his daos for years. Sokka blocked one of his thrusts and threw his sword a little desperately at Zuko’s right arm. Zuko batted it away, bringing his other sword in to press against the hilt of Sokka’s weapon and flicking his wrist hard enough to break Sokka’s loose grip. The sword went flying out of his hands, thudding to the training mat several feet away, and Zuko raised his sword so the tip was pointed at Sokka’s throat.

They were both breathing heavily. Sokka’s gaze was fixed on Zuko’s sword, his eyes very wide. If Zuko had felt sore before, it was nothing compared to the strain in his shoulders now. 

Zuko lowered his swords and took a step back. The training mat was cool under his bare feet. 

“Not bad,” he said, thinking critically about the kind of training Sokka would need to bring his skills up to the level Zuko thought he could be at. If he spoke with his uncle, he was certain they would be able to find someone suitable to help.

Sokka huffed, drawing Zuko out of his thoughts. He walked over to his fallen sword and bent down to snatch it up by the hilt. 

“I wasn’t looking for your approval.” His voice was very hard, and Zuko frowned. 

“Seriously?” he asked incredulously as Sokka crossed the room to the weapons rack. “You ask me to spar, and get upset when I beat you?”

Sokka slid the sword back onto the rack with a slick noise of metal against metal. He turned and scowled at Zuko. “I’m not _upset_.”  
“Really.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Sokka said, spinning on his heel to stalk past Zuko in the direction of the door, snatching his shoes up as he went. 

Zuko tightened his grip on his dao and said, “You’re right, my apologies. Next time I’ll let you win to preserve your ego. Would that make you feel more comfortable, your highness?” 

“I said _fuck off_.”

“You are the most infuriating person I’ve ever met!”

Sokka paused halfway out the door. He turned around, expression twisted into a scowl, and Zuko _hated_ the way his heart still leapt when their eyes met.

“And you’re a sanctimonious asshole,” Sokka snapped. He shoved the door open with one hand. “Let’s not start name calling, Prince Zuko. I’m very creative, and I have a lot of material to work with.”

When he left, he slammed the door shut behind him. Zuko glared at the closed door.

“Ugh!” He turned away, staring hard across the room. His daos felt suddenly very heavy in his hands.

He stood there for too long, then went to put his swords away. He was going to be late for that meeting. 

X X X X X

Zuko knew he’d been sulking too much when his uncle invited him to his chambers for tea. 

It had always been Iroh’s preferred method of intervention. When he’d been younger, and Ozai had used just too firm a hand in Zuko’s discipline, Iroh had developed a talent for knowing when to swoop in and take Zuko under a guiding arm, turning him towards his room and a warm cup of oolong.

Since taking the throne Iroh had fewer opportunities to simply sit and chat, so when the servant arrived at Zuko’s door with a bow and a request to join the Fire Lord, Zuko knew he must be very concerned. Zuko sighed and closed the book he was reading, brushing off his tunic before leaving his room.

The two guards outside of Iroh’s door bowed their heads to Zuko as he approached. Zuko tilted his chin in their directions as he raised his hand and knocked twice on the door.

After a moment, Iroh’s pleasant voice called, “Come in,” and Zuko pushed open the door to slip inside.

“Zuko.” Iroh smiled at him from his seat at the low table in the center of the room, and waved to the red cushion next to him. “Please, sit! I just brewed some jasmine tea.” 

Zuko went to sit down, crossing his legs and holding his hands tight in his lap as he watched Iroh pour another cup for him. The steam coiled into the air like fingers reaching for the flickering candles set into the wall. The window was open, letting in bright sunlight and the faintest dry breeze. 

“You wanted to speak with me, Uncle?” Zuko picked up his tea, pressing his fingers against the hot ceramic.

“Can’t an old man just want to visit with his nephew?”

“Hm.” Zuko raised the cup to his lips to hide his smile. “An old man, certainly. The Fire Lord? Less so.”

Iroh chuckled. “I will never understand why my father clung so tightly to this title,” he said. “As proud as I am to serve my nation, I am eagerly anticipating the day that Lu Ten is ready to assume the throne. You know, Zuko, I have always wanted to have my own tea shop.”

“I’m sure you’d get plenty of business.”

“I do make good tea,” Iroh agreed. 

“Is this what you’ve been doing, then?” Zuko asked. “Planning out your retirement?”

“I think I’ve earned a bit of relaxation,” Iroh said. “Perhaps I will come visit you and Prince Sokka in Agna Qel’a.” 

The smile dropped off Zuko’s face. He raised his cup and took a long sip even though it was still a little too hot. The smooth jasmine burned his tongue. 

“How is that going, nephew?” Iroh’s tone was light, but his eyes were shrewd as he glanced at Zuko.

“How’s what going?”

“I took dinner with Prince Sokka last night,” Iroh said, refusing to allow Zuko to deflect. “It’s a shame that you couldn’t join us.”

“I was-” Zuko paused, and then cleared his throat. “Sick.”

“Sick?”

“Sick,” Zuko said with a nod.

Iroh sipped his tea. “You’re feeling better now, I hope?”

“...Yes?”

“Zuko,” Iroh said, setting his teacup down. He hesitated for a moment, eyebrows pushing together in a frown. “If this is not working-”

“It’s fine, Uncle,” Zuko said. “Prince Sokka and I are more than capable of behaving ourselves at public outings. Our private lives needn’t intertwine in the slightest.”

Iroh’s voice was incredibly gentle when he said, “I didn’t intend for this choice to make you miserable, Prince Zuko.”

“You didn’t make this choice. I did!” 

Zuko bit his tongue on his too sharp words a second too late. He flicked his gaze over to Iroh, who was watching him passively. The sunlight filtering in from the window glinted off of the five-pronged crown tucked into his topknot. 

“My apologies, sir,” he murmured, dropping his eyes back to his cup. He was clutching it so tightly his fingers were trembling. 

“It’s alright, Zuko,” Iroh said lightly. A moment of silence fell. Iroh picked up the teapot in the center of the table and poured himself another cup of jasmine. 

“In some Earth Kingdom villages,” he said, watching over the steady stream of tea, “it is customary for spouses to go on a short trip after their ceremony, to spend time together.” 

Zuko felt the first flickers of alarm in the back of his mind. “I really don’t need a vacation, Uncle.” 

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure. You have seemed very tired recently. And you were just so sick!”

Zuko narrowed his eyes. He didn’t trust the expression on Iroh’s face. The man looked far too happy with himself.

“Uncle,” he said in warning.

“I think you and Prince Sokka should spend a few weeks at Ember Island. Some sun will do you both good, I think.”

Zuko set his cup down so hard hot tea sloshed over the sides. “Ember Island! Why would we go there?”

“It’s very beautiful this time of year,” Iroh said. “Besides, I think your sister could use some company. She had several… _complaints_ , in her last letter to me.” 

Zuko wiped the tea off his fingers with the hem of his tunic, staring at his uncle incredulously. “You want us to stay with _Azula_? Me and Prince Sokka?”  
“You’re welcome to bring Mai and Ty Lee as well. I think that would make Azula happy.”

Zuko didn’t point out that _nothing_ made Azula happy. “Uncle,” he said. “I don’t- Prince Sokka will never agree to this.”

“Ah,” Iroh said with a broad smile. “He already did! I asked him at dinner last night. It really is a pity you couldn’t be there, we had the most lovely seafood stew.” 

“He did?” Zuko asked, startled. He would have thought that a vacation with Zuko would be the last thing Prince Sokka would agree to. 

“He’s a very amenable young man,” Iroh said. “I have transport arranged for next week. You’ll take extra protection with you, of course. It will put my mind at ease to know that you’re somewhere safe.”

The way he said that, with his eyes on Zuko, heavy and tired in that way they got when he was dealing with something especially concerning, made Zuko pause.

“What do you mean, safe?” he asked.

Iroh sighed. “I don’t wish to concern you, Prince Zuko, but there have been…” Iroh paused for a moment, thinking over his words. “There has been unrest amongst some factions of our people. There are those that believe my choice in ending the war was not in their best interests.”

“I know,” Zuko said with a frown. Iroh’s coronation had been met with nearly as much backlash as celebration, though mainly amongst the nobility and palace officials whose positions benefitted from the conflict. Iroh had excused most of them from the court, however, and Zuko had been under the assumption that things had mostly settled down by now. “But the war’s been over for three years.”

“And yet the peace is still fragile,” Iroh said. “Three years is nothing compared to the one hundred years of hardship our nation put the world through. Hardship that, admittedly, did much to benefit many people in the Fire Nation. My choices, to them, were a mark of great shame upon the nation. Many would rather see your father take the throne instead of me.”

Zuko felt the tea he’d had turn cold in his stomach, heavy as a block of ice. He looked at his uncle with wide eyes, and Iroh raised his eyebrow and said, “That won’t happen, Prince Zuko. Ozai has been removed from the line of succession. You’ll be Fire Lord long before he will.” 

That didn’t do much to ease Zuko’s thoughts. He fiddled with the handle of his teacup, running his thumb along the warm ceramic. 

“I didn’t mean to worry you, Zuko,” Iroh said, leaning closer to him. His face was very concerned. It usually was when he looked at Zuko. “I’m no more worried for your safety than I normally am. I simply think this trip will have many benefits.” 

Zuko nodded. “Alright,” he said. “We’ll go to Ember Island.”

Iroh smiled and reached out to pat the back of Zuko’s hand. “Take this opportunity to relax and enjoy yourself,” he said. “Get to know Prince Sokka better in a different environment. I think this will do you both some good.”

Zuko wanted to laugh, but he didn’t. Instad he picked up his teacup and cradled the warmth close to his chest, feeling for the steady beat of his inner flame. He took a long, slow breath.

“I’ll try, Uncle,” he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no one: you know what would make this situation better?  
> me: azula?  
> no one: no.  
> me: :) 
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for all of the amazing comments I've been receiving. I really truly appreciate each one, and try to respond to them, but you are all way too generous and I keep getting behind! I'm setting some time aside later to try and work through them all, so my apologies if it takes a little bit to respond to your comment. I still saw it and it made me smile I 100% guarantee that.
> 
> For those of you who wanted a betta fish update- Zuko is thriving! He's very active and kind of an asshole, i.e. he will swim in circles and stare very angrily at me until I give him a treat, but I think it's very in character for him. He says hi to everyone, and wants you all to have a good day <3


	10. sokka v

SOKKA V

If luck was divided between siblings at birth, Sokka was convinced that Katara had taken more than her fair share and left him with nothing but crumbs. At this exact moment, Katara was probably settled somewhere snug in the Earth Kingdom with Aang, spending her days looking for earthbending masters and exploring the Beifong estate with Toph. 

Sokka, on the other hand, was shoved onto a tiny boat, trying not to look like he was pouting as their captain charted a course for some stupid Fire Nation island in the middle of nowhere.

It was a very short journey, and Sokka had spent the majority of it on a bench in the corner of the deck watching the ocean. This, at least, he was familiar with- the steady pounding of the waves against the hull of their boat, the glint of sunlight off the water. It was still a little too warm for his taste, but the smooth movements of the boat sliced through the waves and kicked up a sea spray that dusted his face, cooling him off enough that the sunlight beating down on the back of his neck was actually quite pleasant. If the trip were to end right back where they started, he would actually consider it to be a positive experience.

Sokka had never heard of Ember Island before. Fire Lord Iroh had assured him that it was a popular vacation spot, and that Sokka’s only responsibilities would be to relax on a beach. That, Sokka was pretty sure he’d be able to handle, if his traveling companions were marginally more bearable.

Prince Zuko came, of course- husbands and all that. He’d brought with him the two girls Sokka had seen around the palace a few times, Mai and Ty Lee, and the three of them seemed determined to make it very clear to Sokka that he was unwanted on this adventure. Upon boarding the boat they had immediately migrated to a bench on the opposite side of the deck to Sokka, and spent most of the journey huddled very close together, keeping their conversation low enough that Sokka couldn’t hear a word over the sounds of the ocean below them.

Sokka huffed and flicked his head back, knocking a stray strand of white hair out of his face. Across from him, Ty Lee leaned across Mai, one hand braced on her knee, and whispered something to Zuko that made him roll his eyes. Sokka pointedly looked away, squinting out at the sharp horizon line.

Whatever. He could relax on a beach just fine without socializing.

As they approached the island, Sokka perked up with reluctant interest. It was a small green island with long shores, peppered with buildings and docks stretching out into the water. They coasted the waves towards one of the smaller docks set far apart from the beaches where he could see crowds of people congregated. It looked to be a more private stretch of shore.

There were two older women waiting on the dock as they pulled up alongside it. They were short and striking in their resemblance to each other, dressed in matching pink robes, twin sets of dark eyes fixed on the boat as ropes were tossed out to secure them to the wooden planks.

“We’re here!” Sokka startled slightly as Ty Lee rocketed past him, bending her knees and launching herself over the gap between boat and dock before they’d been properly secured. She landed on her toes, spinning around to grin back at the others. “C’mon, aren’t you tired of sitting?”

“I’m tired of this trip,” Mai muttered as she stood up. Beside her, Zuko huffed something that might have been a laugh- Sokka didn’t think that he was capable of _actual_ laughter- and Sokka pursed his lips tightly. He’d already decided that the only way he was going to make it through this excursion was if he kept his mouth shut and didn’t open himself up to any arguments.

It was already shaping up to be a monumental challenge.

The two women on the dock stood and waited as the other three disembarked. The servants who’d been sent with them were carefully pulling their luggage out from below the deck and placing it on the dock to grab later, and although Sokka itched to give them a hand, he instead followed his three travelling companions towards the shore.

“Welcome to Ember Island,” the two women said in unison as they approached. Their smiles were sharp and identical, and Sokka immediately felt ill at ease with them. Seriously, the last thing he wanted to deal with right now were creepy twins. 

“My name is Lo-”

“And I am Li,” finished the other one. Her eyes caught on Sokka, lingering for a moment on his hair. Her smile widened, and Sokka resisted the urge to check if something was wrong with it.

“We’ll be showing you to the royal family’s home,” Lo said. 

To Zuko, Li said, “Your sister is waiting there to greet you.”

They turned and began to walk in unison towards the shore. The other three, apparently accustomed to the twins’ strange behavior, followed without any fuss.

Sokka fell into step alongside Ty Lee, who he’d decided was the best person in the group to direct questions towards. Mai and Zuko seemed to switch off shifts glaring at him, so there was always at least one sour expression directed at him. Ty Lee, however, seemed to be the only one who could stand Sokka’s presence.

“Um,” he said in a low voice, keeping an eye on the bobbing white heads in front of him. “What’s the deal with the double act?”

Ty Lee smiled at him, bright and cheerful. “They’re Azula’s mentors for her firebending training,” she said. “I know they’re a little odd at first, but they’re actually really nice!”

“Right,” Sokka said uncertainly. He fell back a step, letting Ty Lee bounce ahead to rejoin her friends, giving himself space to think as they climbed wooden steps up towards a large house at the top of the hill overlooking the private beach. They were surrounded by greenery, and Sokka could hear the buzz of insects and birds flitting unseen around them. It was warm, but the heat was different from that of Caldera City, humid instead of dry. Sokka could taste salt on his tongue when he took a breath. 

Sokka could have enjoyed the walk for much longer, but all too soon they were climbing the steps leading to the house’s front door. It wasn’t as grand as he’d expected the royal family’s vacation home to be; it was nice, certainly, with the same red and gold architecture favored in the Fire Nation, but the steps were simple wood, and rows of windows opened up the space to the sunlight streaming in and the beautiful views of the beach. 

Lo and Li opened the front doors and led the way inside. Sokka trailed after Mai, Ty Lee, and Zuko, ducking through the opening and looking around. He resisted the urge to whistle at the foyer, which was a large space interspersed with columns that soared high up into the rafters. Woven rugs underfoot cushioned their footsteps as they walked forward. Sokka could still hear the sound of the ocean through the open windows. 

“Welcome to the royal family’s beach home,” said Li, probably for Sokka’s benefit, because he assumed the other three were familiar with the space.

“This home has been passed through the royal line for-”

“Are you two giving a tour of my house without me?”

Lo and Li’s speech was interrupted by a cool voice, and Sokka looked over to see a girl walking into the room. She had dark hair tied halfway up to keep out of her face, the rest of it spilling to her shoulders like a jar of ink that had been knocked over. She was wearing a cropped red shirt and low-hanging silk pants. Her features were sharp, but her expression was rather bland as she looked over the group assembled in the foyer, as though she was already tired of them.

“It’s not your house,” Zuko muttered, but his voice was quickly drowned out by Ty Lee’s squeal.

“Azula!” She rushed forward and threw her arms around the girl, kicking one foot up behind her. “It’s so good to see you!”

Azula’s expression didn’t change except for an arched eyebrow. “Yes, yes,” she said, patting Ty Lee’s back with one hand. “I know it is.” 

When Ty Lee released her, Azula glanced over at the others. “Hello, Mai, Zuzu.” Her eyes flickered over to Sokka. They were bright gold, the same disarming color as Zuko’s. “Zuzu’s… husband.”

“Azula, this is Prince Sokka,” Zuko said. He was frowning again, and looking at his sister with an odd expression. “Prince Sokka, this is my sister Azula.”

Azula smiled with her teeth. “Charmed.”

“Not that I don’t love a good thrilling reunion,” Mai said, sounding utterly bored with the conversation, “but I was just on a dingy boat for several hours, and I’d like to change. Where are our rooms?” 

Azula waved a hand at her. “Same as usual,” she said. “I moved the bunk bed into your room for you and Ty Lee. I know you two love to share.”

Mai rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitched up in a smile, the first that Sokka had seen from her. 

Ty Lee grabbed Mai’s arm and pulled her out of the room, giggling as she went. Azula said, “Lo, Li, I want dinner ready by sunset. Main dining room.”

Lo and Li bowed in unison. “Certainly, princess,” they said together, and then backed out of the room, disappearing through one of the archways.

Azula turned to Zuko, lips twisting up in a smile. “I’ll show you to your room, Zuzu,” she said. “We have a lot to catch up on.”

“Hey,” Sokka said, frowning when he realized he was being snubbed. “Where am I supposed to go?”

Azula blinked at him like she’d forgotten he was there. Beside her, Zuko mimicked her expression. The familial resemblance between them was obvious; if it hadn’t been for Zuko’s scar, they would have been nearly identical. 

“Oh, my apologies,” Azula said. She waved a hand in the direction Mai and Ty Lee had disappeared in. “Down the hall, third door on your left. Now, shoo.” 

Sokka opened his mouth in disbelief, but before he could say anything Azula took Zuko by the arm and tugged him away, disappearing in the opposite direction.

“Great,” he said out loud into the empty foyer. “There’s two of them.” 

The hallway he’d been directed to was long and lined with rooms on either side. He heard Ty Lee giggling from behind the first one he passed, and continued on to the third door. He grasped the handle and pulled- then frowned and pulled again, wiggling the doorhandle. It didn’t budge.

“Oh, come on,” Sokka said, his voice coming out nearly a whine. He grabbed the handle with both hands and pulled again, yanking so hard he could feel the strain in his shoulders.

“Already trying to break things?”

Sokka jumped and spun around, reflexively reaching for his belt and a weapon that wasn’t there. He blinked at the figure that had snuck up on him, taking in the gold headdress and heavy makeup, and felt a grin split his face.

“Suki!” 

Suki smiled. “Hi, Sokka,” she said. She held up her hand, dangling a key in front of him. “I think Azula was supposed to give you this.”

Sokka snatched it from her and shoved it into the lock. He turned it, feeling it give with a click, and pushed the door open. “Why do I feel like Princess Azula already has it out for me?” he asked, stepping into the room and looking around. It was similar to his room at the palace, except airier and with less fire-themed tapestries covering the walls. 

“Azula has it out for everyone.” Suki followed him into the room, glancing around as if checking for something.

Sokka turned to look at her and said, “What are you doing here?” When Suki raised her eyebrows at him, he quickly said, “Not that it’s not great to see you! Just- what are you doing here?” 

“Fire Lord Iroh sent me ahead to double-check the property’s security,” Suki said. “I’ll be staying with you all for your visit. Personal bodyguard duties.” 

Sokka couldn’t help the wave of warm relief that washed over him. He grinned and said, “Thank _Tui_. I didn’t know how I was going to survive this trip by myself.”

“Still not getting along with Prince Zuko?”

“Uh,” Sokka said, “have you _seen_ him? That guy wouldn’t know a pleasant conversation if it hit him over the head with a spear.”

“Perhaps you could try, I don’t know,” Suki said as Sokka crossed the room to peer out the window. “Talking to him?”

His room had a great view of the ocean. Even from this distance the water was bright blue and incredibly tempting. Sokka wondered if they’d be able to visit the beach at all today. 

“Yeah, no, already tried that,” he said. “Can’t get through more than a sentence without him getting all pokey about something.”

“Pokey?”

“You know.” Sokka jabbed the air with his fingers. “ _Pokey_.” 

“Right,” Suki said “Well, I should let you get settled in. I’ll see you at dinner.”

Sokka waved as she turned to go. She was halfway out the door when Sokka said suddenly, “Hey, you won’t let Princess Azula _actually_ kill me, right?” 

Suki paused, one hand on the doorframe, and turned to grin over her shoulder at him. “I’m here to protect you from external threats, Prince Sokka,” she said. “If you want to get on Azula’s good side, you’ll have to work for that yourself.”

“Yeah,” Sokka sighed as she left, swinging the door closed behind her. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

X X X X X

They had dinner in the main dining room, which was a surprisingly modest room with a long table made of polished driftwood and a line of windows overlooking the ocean. The sun was sinking below the horizon line, lending the space a glowing orange tint. 

Suki joined them, which Sokka thought was odd until he realized that Ty Lee seemed to be familiar with her. As soon as Suki entered the room Ty Lee was out of her seat with another squeal that hurt Sokka’s ears, grabbing her arm and dragging her to sit next to her. She babbled off questions about the Kyoshi Warriors that Suki answered with a smile and an impressive amount of patience.

Servants came in and out of the room piling the table high with different dishes that Sokka had become accustomed to in the past few weeks, but with much more seafood present in the spread than there was in Caldera City. Azula and Zuko were the last to join the table, slipping in just as the servants were clearing out of the room. Zuko’s hair was tied up out of his face, and he didn’t so much as glance at Sokka as he rounded the table and dropped into a seat across from him.

“As hostess to this little shindig,” Azula said, trailing her nails over the back of her chair as she slid into it, “I think it only proper that I say a few words in toast.” She smiled, gaze moving over each one of them before settling on Sokka. Her expression was pleasant, but her eyes were very hard, and Sokka resisted the urge to squirm in his seat. He knew this girl had to be several years younger than him, but she was still very unsettling.

“Welcome to Ember Island,” Azula said. “Behave in my home or I’ll set your room ablaze while you sleep.” She pressed her hands together, then leaned forward to grab a bowl of noodles off the table. She picked up her chopsticks, then looked back up at them all. “What? Eat.” 

That seemed to be all the invitation needed for the others to start grabbing food. Sokka stared at Azula a moment longer, a little put off by her statement because it didn’t really sound like a joke, before giving in and reaching out for a plate of grilled fish.

“How do you join?” Ty Lee was asking Suki.

“Ty Lee, you can’t join the Kyoshi Warriors,” Mai said, picking up her water glass and taking a tired sip.

“Why not?”

“We haven’t had a warrior from outside of Kyoshi Island in almost a hundred years,” Suki said. “And all of our girls have been training extensively for most of their lives.”

“I can fight,” Ty Lee said, leaning eagerly over a bowl of rice to grin at Suki. “Spar with me and Mai tomorrow, I’ll show you!” 

Suki mostly just looked amused, but she nodded and said, “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Prince Sokka.” Sokka looked up from his food. They didn’t have a ton of seafood in Caldera, and although this food was a touch too spicy for him, it reminded him of home more than the other dishes had.

Azula was smiling at him, wine glass in hand. “How are you enjoying your time in the Fire Nation?” 

Sokka rolled his chopsticks between his fingers. “I’m enjoying it just fine, Princess Azula.”

“I’m sure it’s very different from the Northern Water Tribe. Bigger, certainly.”

Sokka saw Zuko moving out of the corner of his eye, shifting to look at his sister, but Sokka didn’t turn his gaze away from Azula.

“Quite different, Princess,” he said. “Caldera City is lovely, but it can’t quite replace the comforts of home.”

“I completely agree. It’s been terribly difficult for me to be so far from Caldera. I even had to miss the wedding!” Azula screwed her face up in remorse that felt a touch too intense to be genuine. “And Zuzu was _so_ excited.”

At this, Sokka did glance at Zuko, who was staring down at his own plate with what looked like concentrated effort. 

“We all were, Princess,” he said, because Azula looked like she was waiting on him to say something.

Zuko looked up. Sokka stared back at him, taking in his sharp eyes, the way the sunset made his skin glow gold from within. 

“Azula, can we go to a party?” Ty Lee asked, and Zuko shifted his gaze to look at her, leaving Sokka staring at the side of his face, ignoring the way his cheeks suddenly felt too warm.

“Why would we do that?” Azula asked as Sokka turned his attention back to his dinner.

“Ty Lee thinks we should socialize more,” said Mai. 

“How dull,” said Azula.

“Come on, Azula.” Ty Lee smiled at her, tilting her head to the side. “I’m sure you must know tons of people on the island by now!” 

Azula shrugged, straightening her shoulders back and picking at her rice nonchalantly. “I certainly have plenty of connections.” She sighed, looking very put out. “Very well. I suppose I can keep my eyes out for something for us to attend.” 

Ty Lee clapped her hands together. “Yay!” 

“Wonderful,” Mai said, shoving her chopsticks through her noodles. 

The rest of the meal passed relatively quickly, and everyone was too tired from their journey that day to engage in any conversation after it was over. Sokka was grateful to escape from the rest of the group and retire to his room, and even more grateful to find that his bags had been delivered at some point. 

He dug through his luggage, pulling out his nightclothes. It was still early, and the moon was just poking into the sky, but Sokka felt tired down to his bones. He’d been traveling too much recently. Normally he enjoyed it, but he’d been carrying so much tension around with him, and he could feel it taking its effect now.

He climbed into the four-poster bed, tugging back the thick blankets and crawling in. The room was already dark except for the light of the moon flowing through his open windows. When he closed his eyes, it was to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore far below him. If he emptied his mind and focused only on that, he could almost pretend that he was back home, listening to the water lapping against cool ice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I posting this at 12:30 in the morning? Yes I am, because I'm at work and bored and need some form of validation. 
> 
> Short chapter because the next is already written and I'll be posting that real soon, because it has a scene I think y'all are going to like a lot :)) do Not worry the angst is almost over and I have about a dozen fluff scenes already half-written lmao
> 
> Have a good night everyone!! <3


	11. zuko iv

ZUKO IV

Zuko had always had a complicated relationship with his sister.

Growing up as children kept predominantly within the walls of the palace, they’d been very close early on, mostly out of necessity. When Azula’s talent for firebending surpassed Zuko’s, however, their father had begun to show such clear favoritism that it instilled in Azula a disinterest in her brother that had continued long past Ozai’s imprisonment. Azula hadn’t even spoken to Zuko for the first year of her pseudo-banishment from court, something that had hurt Zuko immensely at the time.

Then he’d begun to receive letters from her, terse and abrupt, shaky attempts at conversation. His own responses had been clumsy at best. Still, they’d both persisted, and now they had a decent enough relationship that Zuko felt he could rely on her to show support when he really needed it.

He was still surprised when she pulled him away from the foyer, down the hall towards the back of the beach house, and said, “If he’s mistreating you, I’ll pluck his eyes out and feed them to the birds.”

“ _Agni_ , Azula,” Zuko said, taken aback by the gruesome imagery. “Please don’t do that, what the fuck?”

“Save it, Zuzu.” Azula pulled him down the hall towards the archway at the end that opened up into the courtyard. The ground was laid with stones, but grass had sprouted between them, poking through with a determination that lent the space a half-forgotten vibe that Zuko found almost comforting. It was always disorienting, coming back to the family beach house; half the time when Zuko rounded a corner, he expected to see Ozai standing there glaring at him. It was nice to see some evidence of the passage of time. 

“Mai’s already written to me about Prince Sokka.” She said his name like it was something distasteful, tossing a glare back in the direction of the house. “From what I’ve heard, he hasn’t been particularly pleasant to you.”

Zuko sighed and pulled his arm gently out of Azula’s tight grip. “Are you trying to be protective over me?” he asked. “Because I thought we decided we don’t do that kind of thing.”

“I’m not being protective over _you,_ ” Azula said. “Like it or not, you’re third in line for the throne- second, once Uncle Iroh takes Lu Ten off that silly little peace tour- so it’s essential that you’re married to someone who has the best interests of the nation at heart.”

“Yes,” Zuko said, lips twitching faintly, “because the degree of pleasantness with which Prince Sokka treats me is of the utmost importance to the nation.”

Azula rolled her eyes. “Just tell me what he’s done so I can arrange his punishment accordingly.”

Zuko snorted and looked his sister over shrewdly. He hadn’t seen her in several months, not since his last brief visit to Ember Island, but she looked just as perfect as usual. Sharp, regal features, long dark hair- Zuko hoped that she’d grown a bit, and that he hadn’t shrunk, because he only had a few inches on her now. Being out in the sun had done her some good as well. Her skin had color to it in a way that Zuko would never be able to achieve, as no matter how much time he spent sitting outside, his complexion never seemed to change.

“It’s my fault, honestly,” he said. “I’ve been- it’s been hard, getting to know him. I always say the wrong thing.”

“You never have been good at first impressions.”

“Gee, thanks, Azula,” Zuko said, scowling at her.

“I’m not casting judgment, I’m merely stating a fact. You’re perfectly adequate socially once you’ve gotten to know someone, but you take more time than is typical to grow accustomed to someone’s presence.”

“I think there’s a compliment hidden in there somewhere.”

“Not at all,” Azula said with a grin. Zuko tried to maintain his glare, but after a moment let it fall.

“You’re rude,” he said, wandering over to one of the stone benches positioned carefully in the sun. He sat down on it, and after a moment Azula joined him, leaning back on her hands and tipping her chin back to catch the sun on her face.

“Merely stating facts,” she repeated.

“How prudent of you,” Zuko said. “How have you been?” 

“Pleasantries- I thought we didn’t do that?”

“Humor me.”

“Oh, very well,” Azula said with a sigh. “I’ve been perfectly fine. It’s still dreadfully dull here, but the local teenagers are amusing, in their own ways. I’d appreciate it if you told Uncle to stop writing me. I’m not interested in hosting him for one of his silly little tea parties.” 

“You’ll have to tell him yourself. He’s not an easy man to say no to. Perks of being Fire Lord.”

“Or just old and stubborn.”

“Careful, Azula, you’re starting to sound a bit fond there.”

Azula rolled her eyes and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “Product of my forced confinement. How was the wedding?”

“The wedding was fine,” Zuko said. “It’s everything else that’s been a mess.” He let his gaze wander out over the empty courtyard. He and Azula had played here, growing up, while their mother and father had sat in the shade and watched them wrestle. 

Azula was silent for a long moment. Zuko turned back to her, then frowned at the expression on her face. 

“Stop it, Azula,” he said. 

Azula blinked at him. “What am I doing?”

“Leave Prince Sokka alone. I’ve been avoiding him, and it works well enough for me.”

“I’m offended you would think that I would do anything to affect your relationship. I simply don’t care enough, Zuzu.”

“Mhm.” Zuko stood up, brushing his pants off to make sure he hadn’t sat in any dirt. “Seriously, Azula. I’ve got it handled.”

“I’m certain you do.” Azula smiled and pointed a lazy finger in the direction of the house. “You’re in your usual room. Freshen up before dinner, please.”

“Whatever.” Zuko turned to go, walking across the courtyard. He paused in the archway, then turned back to look at Azula still sprawled out on the stone bench like a salamander soaking in the sun.

“I missed you, too,” he said.

Azula pulled a face that Zuko could see even from this distance. “We don’t do that kind of thing,” she said. She flapped a hand at him. “Go away.”

Zuko laughed lightly to himself as he turned and retreated back into the cool shade of the house. 

X X X X X

Azula gave them a day to settle in before she insisted they take a group trip to the beach.

Ty Lee wanted to go to the public beach, because for some reason she enjoyed the crowds of people even though they had a perfectly good private stretch of shore right outside the house, and Mai always sided with Ty Lee, so Zuko grudgingly helped them pack all of their things into woven bags and then hefted both his and Azula’s onto his shoulders. 

He half-expected Prince Sokka to skip the outing, because Zuko hadn’t seen him at all since dinner that first night. They’d both seemed to have adopted the new technique of completely avoiding each other, and it was working so far- they hadn’t had an argument the entire time they’d been there. 

He was surprised, therefore, when Sokka came hurrying down the hallway just as they were about to leave. He had the Kyoshi Warrior, Suki, in tow. She wasn’t wearing her armor or makeup, and had changed into a pretty red bikini with a loose white shift thrown over it. Zuko glanced at their joined hands, resisted the urge to scowl, and turned away.

It seemed that Sokka was getting a head start on not being _bound_ to Zuko. 

“Oh, you’re coming!” Ty Lee said, sounding pleasantly surprised.

Sokka shrugged, shifting his bag higher on his shoulder. He had tied his hair back in a ponytail, and was thankfully wearing a shirt over whatever swimsuit he had brought with him.

“Azula said it was mandatory,” he said.

Zuko glanced sharply at his sister, who turned away from him with a smile and said, “Let’s not dawdle any longer, all of the good spots will be taken.”

The walk to the beach was longer than Zuko would have preferred, but the path they took was lined with trees and pretty flowering bushes. Azula led the way, with Ty Lee and Mai walking arm in arm behind her, and Sokka and Suki bringing up the rear.

Zuko picked up his pace to fall into step beside Azula. “Do I want to ask what you’re planning?” he asked in a low voice. 

Azula pushed her chin higher in the air. “Whatever are you talking about, Zuzu?”

“Azula, I swear-”

“Oh, lighten up, Zuko, you’re supposed to be on vacation.” Azula cast a shrewd look at him. “Did you remember to pack my tanning oil?”

“I don’t care.” 

“You’re so overdramatic.”

Zuko let the matter drop after that, but he maintained a careful watch over his sister anyways. He honestly hadn’t expected her to be at all interested in his relationship- or lack thereof- with Prince Sokka. More likely, she was doing this just to try and get a rise out of Zuko. That, Zuko could handle, as long as she didn’t start dragging Prince Sokka into anything. Zuko would prefer if that platypus bear remained unpoked. 

It was a nice, hot day, so the beach was as busy as Zuko had expected. They found a small patch of unclaimed sand and dropped their things. Zuko helped Mai set up her umbrella while Sokka laid out his and Suki’s towels several feet away from them. He was just close enough to be considered part of their group, but far enough that it would deter any attempts at conversation.

Zuko dropped down onto his blanket. A group of children ran past, shrieking and shaking their wet hair out, and he scowled at them.

“Mai, Azula.” Ty Lee dropped her bag in the sand and grabbed for Mai’s arm as the other girl was moving to join Zuko under the umbrella. “C’mon, I want to test the water!”

“And I want to tan,” Azula said, but only rolled her eyes when Ty Lee scooped her up as well and dragged them both toward the shore. 

Zuko settled back on his hands and watched them, listening with one ear as Sokka said, “Hey, Suki, wanna hit the water?”

“In a bit,” Suki said. “I’m going to sit in the sun for a few minutes. I’ll meet you down there.”

“Suit yourself,” Sokka said. Zuko chanced a look over in time to see Sokka pulling his shirt up and over his head. His back was half-turned to Zuko, so Zuko felt that it was marginally safe to stare with wide eyes as the tunic went up and over his head, revealing a broad expanse of dark skin. Zuko could see his tattoos closer from here, dark symbols looping around his arm and up his shoulder. He wished he could get a better look at them. 

Sokka set off towards the water a distance away from where Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee had gone. Zuko watched him go with a frown, then sat back again and glanced idly at Suki.

He blinked when he realized she was watching him.

Suki smiled. She had taken off her shift so she was lying there in just her red bikini. Even though Zuko wasn’t necessarily _interested_ , he had to admit to himself that she was very pretty.

“Mind if I move closer?” she asked, pointing to the empty patch of sand just beyond the reach of the umbrella’s shadow.

“Um,” Zuko said. “Sure?” 

Suki got up and dragged her towel closer to him before laying back down. She threw her arms back over her head, closing her eyes as the warm sunlight hit her face. The waves crashed against the shore, background music to the voices shouting and laughing around them.

“This is nice,” Suki said. “Not all of my jobs include a day in the sun.”

“I’m sure you’ve already triple-checked the entire beach to make sure there are no threats.” Zuko was familiar with a few of the Kyoshi Warriors, and knew the extent of their skill. Despite how relaxed Suki looked beside him, Zuko knew she would be able to handle anything that might go wrong.

Suki cracked one eye open and peered out at him. “True.”

Zuko looked out to the water. He could see Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula standing on the shore, letting the rising tide swell around their ankles. If he squinted, he could just barely make out the white of Sokka’s hair as he dove beneath the waves. 

“Fire Lord Iroh told me your family used to come to Ember Island all the time,” Suki said. “Do you enjoy being back?”

Zuko shrugged. “It’s alright,” he said. “It’s nice to see my sister, I suppose.”

“Oh, I’m sure. Azula is certainly…” 

“Yeah,” Zuko agreed. 

A wave crashed especially hard, and Zuko heard the sound of Ty Lee shrieking. Suki stretched her legs out, pointing her toes, and said, “Maybe you and Sokka will have a chance to speak properly here.”

“Did my uncle put you up to this?”

Suki chuckled. “No,” she said, “but I had to sit through dinner with you both. You two are dripping with all kinds of masculine tension.”

Zuko scowled at her. “What does that even mean?”

“You don’t strike me as a bad guy, Prince Zuko.” The Kyoshi Warriors certainly never beat around the bush. “And Sokka’s sweet, but a little bit dense. I think you just need to be direct with him.”

“If you haven’t noticed, Prince Sokka hates me. I don’t think anything I say will sway his opinion.”

“I could speak to him, if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Suki, but that’s alright,” Zuko said. “Despite my uncle’s concern, it really isn’t necessary for Prince Sokka and I to like each other. That was never the point of all this.”

Suki looked like she wanted to say something else, but at that moment they were rejoined by Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula. Ty Lee’s skin glistened with water as she crouched down to dig her towel out of her bag, and Azula’s bangs were wet, which was probably the reason behind her irritated expression. The only dry one was Mai, who dropped down onto the blanket beside Zuko with a very put out sigh.

Suki got to her feet. “I’m going to go cool off in the water for a moment,” she said, and smiled at Zuko before she left.

As Suki walked away, Azula said, “Was that Earth Kingdom peasant bothering you, Zuzu?” She had already stretched out on her towel, limbs arranged for maximum exposure to the sun.

“Can you go one day without calling someone a peasant?” Zuko asked.

“Why? That’s what she is.” 

“Suki’s really nice,” said Ty Lee.

“You only think that because you want to join the Kyoshi Warriors,” said Mai. 

Ty Lee shook her pink towel out and laid it down beside Azula’s. “I just think it would be fun!” 

Mai shook her head, expression fond. She glanced over at Zuko. “How are you doing?” 

“Fine.”

“Oh good, he’s sulking,” Azula said. “What aspect of this beautiful and relaxing beach excursion that I have so _painfully_ arranged for us is upsetting you so, brother dear?”

Zuko glared at her. “I don’t see why we had to come all the way to this beach. We have a perfectly good private one closer to the house.”

“But it’s fun to talk to people,” Ty Lee said. She glanced over at a group of boys close to her, who weren’t bothering to hide the way they were staring at her, and waggled her fingers at them.

“And there are so many more fun activities to do here, Zuzu,” Azula said. 

“Like what?”

“Build a sand sculpture,” said Mai. 

“Dig a deep hole and lie in it,” suggested Azula.

Zuko flopped back against the blanket and closed his eyes. “I’m taking a nap. Wake me up when it’s time to leave.” 

“A nap does sound nice,” said Ty Lee. “Someone needs to tell me when to flip over, though. I always tan so unevenly.”

“...a lot warmer than the North Pole, that’s for sure.”

Zuko tensed when he heard Sokka’s voice, but didn’t open his eyes. He listened to their footsteps shifting the sand as they rejoined the group and Suki collected her towel from its spot beside Zuko.

“Actually, Ty Lee,” Azula’s voice said, “I think I might fancy a game of volleyball.”

Zuko opened his eyes. He frowned up at Mai, who glanced at him with a passive expression.

“Oh,” Ty Lee said, excited. “That’s such a good idea! Except, we don’t have a ball.”

“I think those boys do. Could you be a dear and go ask them if we could borrow it?”

“Sure!” Ty Lee jumped to her feet and bounced towards the group of boys who’d been watching her. They all scrambled on their towels, trying to look like they hadn’t just been caught in the act.

“Azula, are you using my girlfriend’s sex appeal to get your way?” Mai asked.

“Certainly,” said Azula. Raising her voice, she called out, “Water Tribe, warrior girl- care to join us for a friendly game of volleyball?”

“Is it mandatory?” Zuko heard Sokka ask, and then a sharp “Hey!” as Suki presumably elbowed him.

“We’d love to, Princess,” she said. 

“I got the ball!” said Ty Lee. Mai started getting up, and Zuko resisted the urge to groan when he realized that this was actually going to happen.

“Get up, Zuzu,” said Azula. “Come play nice with the group.” 

Zuko sat up and glared at her. Azula, who had already gotten to her feet, smiled down at him sweetly.

“I think I’ll just stay here,” he said.

“But then we would have uneven teams,” said Azula, sticking her lower lip out in an exaggerated pout.

Zuko knew that there was no way he’d be able to sway Azula away from something she wanted. He huffed and stood up, tugging his shirt over his head and tossing it down to the blanket. Knowing Azula’s version of a friendly game, it’d probably get singed if he kept it on.

There was a row of volleyball courts behind them. Most of them were occupied, but one had been claimed by a group of kids who were messing around in the sand. Azula marched ahead of the group, setting a warpath towards the eight year olds, and snapped “Scram!” at them. The kids took one look at her and scrambled to their feet, tripping over themselves in their haste to clear the court. 

“Alright!” Azula stopped in the center of the court, turned to them with a grin, and clapped her hands together. “I’ll divvy up the teams, then. Zuzu, Mai, you’re with me. Water Tribe, girl, Ty Lee, you’re on the other team.” 

Sokka shrugged and went to move to the other side of the net, followed closely by Suki. He still wasn’t wearing a shirt; Zuko was having a difficult time not focusing in on his tattoos.

Ty Lee leaned in to peck Mai on the lips. “Good luck, babe,” she said brightly, tossing the ball to Azula before turning and bounding over to join her team on the other side. 

“Zuzu, Mai,” Azula said, snapping her fingers at them to draw their attention. “I’ll serve first. Mai, I want you in the back with me. Zuzu, watch the front line. I don’t want anything getting past you.”

“Whatever,” Zuko said, going over to his spot. He found himself facing Suki, who grinned at him as she crouched down with her hands on her knees. Behind her, Ty Lee and Sokka stood at the ready. Sokka caught Zuko’s eye through the net and raised his eyebrows, looking at him with some of the same intensity he’d shown in the training room.

“This is your only warning,” Azula called out. She twirled the ball once in her hand and then drew her hand back. “Begin!”

She served hard. Ty Lee set it up for Suki, who hit it back over the net. Zuko hit the ball up into the air and Mai moved closer to his side, bumping it towards Azula. Azula crouched down, narrowed eyes on the ball, and then leapt into the air, whipping her fist around to spike it.

It headed straight for Sokka, who yelped and dove out of the way. The ball slammed into the ground where he’d just been standing, sending up a spray of sand.

“Ha!” Azula said with a sharp grin. “Point for us!”

Suki hurried over to Sokka to help him back to his feet. He got up and glared at Azula. “What the fuck?” he called out.

“You’ll have to be quicker than that, Water Tribe,” Azula said. 

Azula served again, this time towards Suki, who returned it over the net easily. It went back and forth for a few rounds, until Azula set the ball up for Mai, who jumped up and slammed it towards the back corner of the court. This time Sokka tried to hit it, but he moved just a bit too slow, ending up on his knees as the ball bounced away behind him.

Zuko shot a sharp look at Mai and Azula, who were high fiving behind him. Azula caught Zuko’s eye and smiled, her expression a bit wicked. It wasn’t unlike the look that had crossed her face that time she’d tried to shoot lightning at the turtleduck pond.

The game continued in a similar fashion. Ty Lee and Suki worked well together, and were a formidable pairing when the ball got close enough for them to hit. Mai and Azula kept their aim fixed almost entirely on the back corner, though, where Sokka was struggling to keep up with the blows raining down on him. He was covered in sand and slick with sweat, and Zuko might have been amused by the show if he hadn’t been more focused on the scowl steadily growing on his face.

Zuko was helping his team the best he could, but Mai and Azula seemed to pretty much have it handled. He watched as Mai crouched down, fingers locked together to provide a springboard for Azula to step onto and leap into the air to meet the ball Ty Lee had returned over the net. Azula flipped in the air, bringing her foot around in an arc, and Zuko saw a lick of blue flames as she connected with the ball. It shot like a comet towards Sokka, who shouted in alarm and dove to the side yet again to avoid being scorched. 

Azula landed neatly in the center of the court and straightened up. “I believe that was match point,” she said. “Anyone care to go another round?”

Sokka shoved himself to his feet. Half of his hair had come undone from his ponytail, giving him a slightly wild look as he stalked across the court to meet them at the net.

“What the fuck is your problem?” he demanded to Azula.

Azula raised her eyebrows at him. “Excuse me?”

“Look,” Sokka said, “I don’t know what I did to piss you off-”

“Is everyone from the Water Tribe this stupid?”

Sokka bristled. “Listen, Princess-”

“No, _you_ listen. I’ve been informed of the way you’ve been behaving towards my brother, and I’m not pleased with what I’ve heard.”

“Azula,” Zuko tried to say, and was easily ignored by both of them. Ty Lee and Suki were standing awkwardly behind Sokka. Mai had come to stand beside Zuko, and was watching the proceedings with a look of mild interest. 

“Of how I’ve been behaving towards him? What about how he’s been behaving towards me?”

“You are needlessly rude and confrontational, and I-”

“He’s not even polite enough to hold a conversation with me,” Sokka snapped, interrupting Azula.

It was the wrong move. Azula’s marched up to the net so she could jab a finger at him and shouted, “My brother is _shy_ , asshole!”

Sokka took a half step away from her, eyes widening. Zuko suddenly wished that he was an earthbender, so he could open up a hole in the ground and disappear.

“What are you talking about?” Sokka turned his gaze to Zuko, eyebrow furrowed.

“He’s not being rude on purpose, are you being intentionally obtuse or-”

“Azula!” 

Azula whirled around to glare at Zuko. Her fists were clenched at her sides, and Zuko could tell she she was seconds away from lighting the volleyball net on fire. The shouting was beginning to draw attention from other people on the beach, who were looking their way with varying levels of concern. Zuko could feel their eyes on him, heavy and as hot as the sun beating down on the back of his neck. Sokka was still staring at him, and so were Mai and Ty Lee and Suki and Azula, all watching Zuko steep in his humiliation.

Zuko turned on his heel and marched away back towards their umbrella. He heard movement behind him but kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.

“Zuko, wait!” Ty Lee called out. 

Zuko ignored her. When he reached the umbrella he leaned down to scoop up his shirt and shoes. He felt warm all over, and itchy, like the mortification he felt was some physical thing that had settled over him.

“Don’t be such a drama queen,” Azula said behind him.

Zuko spun around and scowled at her. Everyone else had followed along behind her. Zuko couldn’t bear to look at Sokka.

“I told you to drop it, Azula,” he said. “You promised you wouldn’t do anything to embarrass me!”

“I don’t think I ever said that explicitly.” When Zuko stared at her incredulously, she rolled her eyes. “Come on, Zuko, did you think I was going to let him continue to bully you around?”

“Now hold on a minute,” Sokka said, sounding distinctly uncomfortable.

“This whole trip was a mistake.” Zuko turned around and started stomping away in the direction of the path back to the beach house, kicking sand up. “Don’t follow me, Ty Lee!” he shouted over his shoulder.

“I wasn’t gonna,” he heard her say to the others.

Zuko yanked his shirt back on over his head, and when he reached the dirt path he shoved his shoes on. He didn’t bother checking to see if he was being trailed by anyone; his sister knew him well enough, he hoped, to deter anyone from trying to talk him down. Zuko didn’t think he was physically capable of holding a conversation at the moment. His heart was pounding, and he could feel his inner flame prickling in his chest. He wanted to light half the island on fire. 

He didn’t. Instead, he marched all the way back to the beach house, went straight to his room, and slammed the door shut. He threw himself down on his bed without bothering to change out of his sandy clothes and pressed his face into his silk pillow.

He didn’t move for a very long time.

X X X X X

Zuko looked out at the ocean, listening to the waves crash against the shore below him. He was sitting on a broad, flat rock a short distance from the beach house, tucked in amongst the overgrown greenery. The moon hung low in the sky above him, half-full but bright, casting its glow on the water and the trees.

Zuko was there for awhile before he heard footsteps in the dirt behind him. He wasn’t surprised; he’d been left alone for the rest of the day after that disaster of a beach trip, but it wasn’t in everyone else’s natures to let an issue sit for too long. Zuko, personally, would like to forget the entire thing had ever happened, but he was sure he wasn’t going to be allowed to do that.

“Um, Prince Zuko?”

Zuko squeezed his knees tighter to his chest and tilted his head to the side enough to look at Sokka out of the corner of his eye. He was standing behind him, hands hanging at his side, looking very awkward.

When Zuko didn’t say anything, Sokka waved a hand toward the empty rock next to him. “Can I sit?”

Zuko shrugged and then nodded. He looked back out at the water as Sokka dropped down beside him, kicking his legs out to dangle over the side of the rock.

For a long minute, neither of them said anything. The only sound was that of the ebbing tide brushing against the sand, and of insects buzzing, invisible, in the greenery around them. Zuko felt strangely calm despite the nature of the conversation he was about to have.

“I’m sorry,” he said finally.

Sokka shifted on the rock beside him. “What are _you_ apologizing for?”

“My sister can be very… intense.” 

“Yeah,” Sokka agreed. “She’s also very creative as far as threats go. Seriously, she could teach a class on it.”

It was a weak attempt at a joke, and Zuko didn’t laugh. Beside him, Sokka sighed.

“Look,” he said. “I think we need to talk.”

“You don’t have to do this,” said Zuko.

“Do what?”

“You don’t have to… be nice to me just because my sister asked you to. I know you don’t want to be married to me. I get it.” Zuko pressed his chin to the top of his knees and dropped his gaze. “I know I’m not exactly… ideal.”

“Hang on,” Sokka said. Zuko still couldn’t bear to look at him. “That’s not- I thought that _you_ disliked _me._ You never wanted to talk to me.”

Zuko scowled. “I never disliked you. I just don’t- I’m just-” He pressed his lips together tightly for a moment, irritated with himself for not being able to find the right wording. 

“Shy?”

Zuko twisted his head to glare at him. Sokka stared back, eyes wide and blue, but without any of the malice Zuko had grown accustomed to seeing. He was smiling slightly. Zuko felt his anger deflate. 

“Yeah,” he said. “Kind of humiliating to have that pointed out by your little sister to an entire beach full of people, though.” 

Sokka chuckled. “That’s what little sisters are for,” he said. “Sometimes it feels like it’s Katara’s life mission to embarrass me.” He tilted his head to the side, looking at Zuko more closely. His mouth twisted down in a frown. “You know, I was never trying to be, like. Mean, or anything. I thought that you didn’t want anything to do with me.” 

“It’s okay,” Zuko said. “It was my fault.”

“That feels unfair.”

“No,” Zuko said, “I should have been more welcoming. You came all the way from the North Pole, and you don’t know anyone here. I know that’s difficult. I should have tried harder.”

Sokka was quiet for a moment. The water crashed against the shore below. An insect swooped low over their heads, buzzing off into the trees. 

“I had you all wrong, didn’t I?” he said, sounding a little shrewd. Zuko looked over at him, surprised, but Sokka had turned his gaze out to the horizon.

“You know,” Sokka said. “There’s this girl in the Southern Water Tribe, Yue. She’s the daughter of the chief. I always kind of figured I would end up marrying her. When I found out that wasn’t happening- I think it hit me a little harder than I thought it did.”

Zuko wished he could say that he understood, but- “I always knew I’d be married off to someone I didn’t know,” he said. He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the warmth curling just beneath his skin. “When I was little, I thought-”

He paused. Sokka stayed quiet, giving him the space to think his thoughts through.

“My mother believed in soulmates,” Zuko said. “I don’t think I do, anymore, but I always liked the idea of it. Of finding someone who just fit with you, you know?”

“I don’t know how much I believe in that, either,” Sokka said. He looked away from the water, turning back to smile a little at Zuko. “But it’s a nice thought.” 

His hair seemed to shine in the semi-darkness, the same bright white as the moon overhead. Zuko said, “I’m sorry about Yue.”

Sokka waved a hand at him. “Don’t be,” he said. “It probably wouldn’t have worked out anyways. She always had a thing for this other guy, Hahn, who’s a total jackass. He pushed me into a snowdrift once.” 

“Oh,” Zuko said, unsure of how to react to that. “That’s, um. That’s rough, buddy.”

Sokka snorted. “Tui and La,” he said, “you really are awkward, aren’t you?”

Zuko glared at him, but he didn’t have the energy to put any heat behind it. “Shut up.” 

“No one’s ever managed to make me shut up before, hot-head,” Sokka said. “I don’t think you’ll manage it now.” 

Zuko’s cheeks felt warm, and he was grateful that it was dark enough that Sokka wouldn’t be able to see. He sat up a little straighter, stretching out his back, which was stiff from sitting so hunched over for so long. 

“What happens now, then?” he asked, because somehow he and Sokka had managed to have a conversation that hadn’t ended in a shouting match, and that felt like something, at least.

“I don’t know,” Sokka said. He kicked his foot out, letting it swing over the short drop to the shrubs beneath them. “I mean- we’re married, aren’t we? Spirits, that’s still weird to say.” 

Zuko shifted a bit uncomfortably, and Sokka glanced at him.

“Not like that,” he said quickly. “I don’t mean it’s weird to be married to _you,_ specifically. It’s just weird to be married in general, you know? Like- I’m eighteen, and you’re-”

“Nineteen.”

“Yeah. I mean, Tui, I don’t know what I’m doing.” 

“You don’t have to do anything,” Zuko said. “We’re not actually- it’s just about the title.”

“I know,” Sokka said. “But we’re still going to be spending a lot of time together. Now that I know you don’t actually hate me, I’d like to try at least being friends.”

Zuko lifted his head and stared at him with wide eyes. The offer hung in the air for only a few seconds before Sokka said, “I mean, only if you want, or I can totally stick to just giving you space, I would totally respect if-”

“No,” Zuko said before his brain could catch up to his words. He swallowed and said, “That would be- I’d like that.”

“Cool,” Sokka said. “And, listen- I’m really sorry for anything I said, or- I wasn’t trying to be an ass, I swear.”

“Really?”

“Well, okay,” Sokka said with an indulgent grin. “Maybe I was.”

“You did a good job of it,” Zuko said. He softened his words with a small smile. “It’s alright. I’m sorry, too.”

Sokka looked at him a moment longer before pushing himself to his feet. “I’ll let you get back to, um.” He waved a hand in the direction of the ocean. “I’ll see you tomorrow, though?”

“Yeah,” Zuko said. 

Sokka smiled again- still a little awkward, a little uncertain, but genuine, and Zuko felt his heart stutter at the sight of it. If Sokka had been attractive before, when he’d hated Zuko’s guts, Zuko didn’t know what it would be like to be looked at like _this_ on a regular basis.

Sokka left. Zuko watched him disappear up the path towards the house, then looked back towards the ocean.

He tipped his head back to look at the moon and smiled, just a little bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick update cause y'all deserve a little angst relief :) Also I have my fourth exam in the past week on Wednesday, so I won't be able to write much/update until a little while after that, so I wanted to get this out before I got too swamped!
> 
> I hope you all are doing well- I'm still struggling with my courses, but this fic is a big respite for me, and I really appreciate all your lovely comments and support. I hope you all have an amazing week :)


	12. sokka vi

SOKKA VI

Vacations to Sokka meant no meetings, no appointments, and absolutely _no_ schedules. He preferred to sleep in as late as his body allowed and maybe stay in bed for an hour or so after that, just lying there and soaking in the feeling of having nowhere to go.

For some reason, however, his traveling companions didn’t seem to share the same opinion as him. Sokka was sleeping very soundly- and very happily- when he felt something poke his arm hard, jarring him back into consciousness. 

Sokka startled, opening his eyes and blinking blearily up at the figure standing over him. Suki grinned down at him. Her makeup was already on but she had foregone the head piece today. Instead, her hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail.

“Someone had better be attacking us,” Sokka croaked, reaching a hand up to rub his eyes.

“Hardly,” Suki said. She walked over to the window and the curtain drawn closed over it. It did an excellent job of blocking the sunlight out, apparently, because when she pulled it back the room suddenly filled with bright light that had Sokka squinting once more with a sharp hiss.

“What the fuck, Suki!” 

“It’s late,” said Suki. “You’ve slept right through breakfast for the last two days, and you’re not doing it again.” 

“No one else cared.”

Suki gazed back at him, looking very unimpressed. Sokka grudgingly sat up, rolling his shoulders back to stretch them out.

“Did you speak with Prince Zuko last night?” Suki asked.

Sokka rubbed his elbow. He was still sore from that disastrous game of volleyball yesterday. He’d gone to bed with his joints aching, not unlike how he felt after a hard training session.

“Yes,” he said, kicking his covers off and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “Apparently I have been a gigantic asshole this entire time and I didn’t even realize it.”

“Kind of,” said Suki.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“I did tell you to talk to him,” Suki pointed out as Sokka stood up. “You were too stubborn to listen to me, and so was he.”

“Yeah, well,” Sokka said. He pressed the palms of his hands to both eyes, trying to shake off the last remnants of grogginess. The sun was high in the sky outside the window, and he knew it had to be very late in the morning, but he still felt exhausted. He hadn’t slept much last night, kept awake instead by his own spiraling thoughts. “Lesson learned- Suki’s always right, got it.”

“That’s a good lesson to learn early on,” Suki said. She walked across the room to the door and said, “I’m going down to get something to eat.”

“I’ll join you in a few minutes, just let me wake up a little more.”

Suki closed the door behind her as she left. Sokka walked over to the pile of luggage in the corner of his room, bending down to open one of his trunks. He probably should unpack a little bit and put some of his clothes away in the chest of drawers that had been provided to him, but that seemed like a lot of effort to exert when they were going to be leaving in a couple of weeks.

He dug through the trunk until he found a clean tunic and thin pants that he thought would fare well in the heat. He pulled them on, kicking his nightclothes further into the corner to hide them behind his bags, and then walked over to the large mirror on the wall to check his hair. He’d tied it back in a short braid last night, and although it was a little ruffled from sleep, it was good enough that he didn’t have to redo it.

As he headed down to the dining room, he tried to brace himself for whatever was about to come. He figured his relationship with Azula was already a lost cause- after he’d been shouted at on the beach yesterday, she’d returned to ignoring his presence entirely, which he thought was a much better fate than receiving the full brunt of her anger once again. Mai hadn’t said anything at all to him, which wasn’t much of a change from before, and Ty Lee had awkwardly babbled something about needing a more even tan in an obvious effort to try and change the subject. All in all, despite Sokka’s achingly fresh truce with the Fire Prince, he hadn’t exactly primed himself for a successful beach vacation.

The dining room was surprisingly full when Sokka arrived. Suki was there, as were the three other girls, all sat around the modest breakfast spread that had been laid out in the center of the table. Sokka registered Azula’s glare turning on him, but his gaze immediately focused in on the large bowl of warm congee in the middle of the table.

“Good morning, Prince Sokka,” Ty Lee said as Sokka dropped into the empty seat beside Suki.

“Morning.” Sokka leaned forward and snagged the large spoon that had been left in the congee, ladling a generous serving into the empty bowl in front of him.

“I was just telling Suki about the poppies that grow on the other side of the island,” Ty Lee said. “They’re so beautiful, and they just started blooming! We should go see them.”

“The poppies are a half-day’s hike from here,” Azula said, sounding bored. Her sharp gaze had drifted away from Sokka and out the window, where the sky was clear and blue. “I’m not getting all sweaty to look at some stupid plants.”

“But you’ll get all sweaty for the sake of a tan,” Mai said without looking up from the book she’d laid out beside her bowl. 

“At least a tan is useful, _Mai_.” 

Sokka sprinkled chopped nuts on his congee and ignored their bickering with practiced ease. It was clear that Azula and Mai didn’t like him, but now that Sokka understood _why,_ he somehow felt a lot less uncomfortable in their presence. When their hatred of him had been baseless, Sokka had felt defensive on principle. Now he knew that their opinion had been borne of Sokka’s own actions, and that, Sokka could deal with. In the Water Tribe, when someone made a mistake, there was no shame in admitting it as long as they set about correcting it the best that they could. Sokka had made plenty of mistakes in his life, and he had always been very good at fixing them.

As if summoned by Sokka’s thoughts, creaking floorboards behind them heralded the arrival of the last member of their party. Sokka twisted in his seat to look at the doorway, where Prince Zuko paused and looked at them all gathered around the table as though he was startled to see them there. His hair was tied back in its usual topknot, and his cheeks were flushed slightly, like he’d just been on a long run.

“So lovely of you to finally join us, Zuzu,” Azula said. 

Zuko’s face settled into a familiar scowl. “It’s late,” he said, like that was some kind of proper response. He and his sister always seemed to be holding a conversation above everyone else’s head, however, so Azula just rolled her eyes and said, “It isn’t my fault Water Tribe sleeps in until midday.”

“I’m on vacation,” Sokka said, taking her comment as an invitation to jump into the conversation. Judging by the glare she cast his way, it hadn’t been.

Zuko caught Sokka’s eye as he rounded the table to sit beside his sister. Sokka smiled at him. Zuko didn’t quite return the gesture, but his expression softened a little bit as he dropped his gaze to the table. The pink in his cheeks was especially pronounced under the light streaming in from the open window behind him.

It was odd, to look at the prince now and not see someone that Sokka felt he had to dislike on principle. It had been easy, shamefully easy, for Sokka to hate him. Prince Zuko represented everything Sokka had grown up despising- the blasé cruelty of the Fire Nation, the chafe of politics that made his skin itch with discomfort, the whispers that followed him each time he joined his father at a function, questioning his lack of bending, his youth, the unnatural circumstances of his birth that made him frail and untrustworthy in the eyes of most of their allies and enemies. Sokka had grown up knowing that these things would turned on him, had learned how to defend himself with weapons and words, to prove himself before he was given the chance to fail.

Prince Zuko had never used any of that against him, though. The worst he’d done had been to be a touch standoffish, and even that had turned out to be nothing more than a misunderstanding. Sokka felt the same flush of shame he’d felt last night when he’d gone to talk to Zuko and had found nothing but strained awkwardness and resignation there.

Sokka had miscalculated. Being upset about Yue, about how he knew he could never in good conscience pursue anything with Suki even though looking at her made his heart stutter in his chest, was no excuse for how he’d acted. Especially towards someone who was just as stuck with Sokka as Sokka was with him.

“Where have you been hiding all morning, Zuko?” Ty Lee asked, jarring Sokka out of his thoughts. He blinked, looking away from the prince, grateful he hadn’t been caught staring at him. 

Zuko passed over the congee in the center of the table, leaning forward instead to pluck up a piece of warmed bread. “I was hardly hiding. I was in the courtyard.”

“Doing what?” Sokka asked.

Azula twisted her head to glare at him again. Beside him, Suki’s spoon paused halfway back to her bowl. Sokka resisted the urge to roll his eyes at them all, focusing instead on Zuko’s surprised expression, like he hadn’t expected Sokka to address him directly.

Right. He probably hadn’t. 

“Katas,” he said slowly, a little warily.

“Those are those funny dance moves, right?” Sokka asked, distantly familiar with the phrase.

Zuko’s lips twitched like he wanted to smile but wasn’t sure if it was wise. Beside him, Azula tossed a sneer at Sokka and said, “They’re practice forms, _dumbass_.”

“They do kind of look like dance moves, though,” Zuko said. His voice was soft, and he still wasn’t smiling, not like he had last night, but Sokka figured he would just take what he could get for now. 

“I think my sister and Aang do those sometimes,” Sokka said.

“I can’t believe your sister trains with the Avatar,” Ty Lee said. “That’s so _cool_.”

Sokka shrugged. “Aang’s just a kid,” he said. “He’s not that impressive once you’ve had to give him advice on how to flirt with your sister.”

“I’m not sure anyone should be taking advice from you on how to flirt,” Suki said. When Sokka turned to scowl at her, she was already grinning. 

“Excuse you,” Sokka said. “You know nothing about my flirting prowess.”

Mai flipped another page in her book. “Please don’t talk about any kind of prowess at the dining table.”

Ty Lee giggled. Sokka stirred his congee, feigning moodiness, and snuck another glance at Zuko. The prince still wasn’t smiling; if anything, he looked even more confused by the conversation taking place around him, and Sokka bit back a sigh. 

“If you all are quite done,” Azula said, her voice as sharp as usual, “I’d like to inform you of our plans for this evening.”

“No.” Zuko’s expression twisted back into a scowl. Sokka thought it was pretty bold of him to brave telling Azula ‘no’ on anything. “You’re done planning activities.”

“Don’t be stupid, Zuzu. This is _my_ house.”

“It absolutely is not.”

“Fine.” Azula reached into her pocket and withdrew a folded sheet of paper, which she tossed onto the table in front of her brother. “Then I’ll go ahead and give our seats up for some simpleminded peasant to enjoy so you can throw your little temper tantrum in peace.”

Zuko’s scowl deepened as he snatched up the paper and opened it. He read it over, and his expression faded into surprise.

“They’re doing ‘Love Amongst the Dragons’ again?”

“They’re always doing ‘Love Amongst the Dragons,’” Azula said. “And I went out of my way to get us all tickets, but if you don’t appreciate my hard work-”

“Agni, it’s the Ember Island Players,” Zuko muttered, eyes still on the paper. “They butcher it every time.”

“Uh,” Sokka said, because he seemed to be the only one who didn’t know what they were talking about. “What’s ‘Love Amongst the Dragons?’”

“It’s a play,” Zuko said.

“Not that we would expect _you_ to know that,” said Azula. She stood up, her chair scraping against the wooden floorboards, and tossed her head back imperiously. “If you would like to join us, we will be leaving at seven o’clock sharp. Don’t be late, or I will assume you haven’t the mental capacity to appreciate the arts.”

She turned on her heel and strode out of the room. Sokka watched her go with raised eyebrows, stirring his congee absentmindedly.

“She’s a little dramatic, isn’t she?” he asked.

To his surprise, it was Mai who sighed and said, “You get used to it.”

X X X X X

The Ember Island Theater was just as large and grand as Sokka had expected the ‘best small stage theater in the Fire Nation’ to be. When their group arrived, Azula immediately went to the man taking tickets and spoke to him, and his eyes widened as his gaze drifted over to Zuko and Sokka. He bowed low to Azula, then ushered them inside, past the crowd of finely dressed people milling in the lobby to a side door that opened to reveal a set of stairs climbing up to a private box.

“I thought I asked for our seats to be centered,” Azula said to the man, who had followed them up and was watching nervously as they all filed in.

“This is fine, Azula,” Zuko said before the man could speak. He nodded at him. “Thank you.”

The man bowed low and hurried to leave, almost tripping on the top stair in his haste. Azula scoffed at him, then said to Zuko, “I could have gotten us an upgrade.”

Sokka didn’t understand how there could be an upgrade from _this._ He walked over to the wooden railing that looked out over the theater, leaning out to look. They were raised high above the audience so that the conversations below sounded like a loud hum. The theater was large and draped in candles and red fabric, and the stage at the front of the room had elegant curtains drawn over it. Sokka had only been to one theater performance before, while he and his father had been visiting Ba Sing Se. He had thought that tiny playhouse had been impressive, but it was nothing compared to this.

“Do you think we have time to go get snacks?” Ty Lee was asking Mai as they slid into the back bench. Suki followed after them; her expression was pleasant enough, but her eyes were sharp as she looked around the box. She was dressed nicely in a red shirt and flowy pants, and would fit in well amongst any of the nobles mingling beneath them, but Sokka had no doubt that her fans were tucked away somewhere on her person and that she was primed to fend off an attack should it come. He sometimes forgot that she was here as their bodyguard, and not just to join them on their vacation.

Zuko had taken a seat on the front bench beside his sister, gaze already focused on the stage below. He had tied his hair up with a gold ribbon that caught the flickering candlelight, making it look like he had a small flame trapped in his topknot. Sokka glanced at the back row, where there was plenty of space to squeeze in next to Suki, and wavered for just a moment.

Zuko’s head twisted to stare as Sokka dropped onto the bench beside him. Sokka met his gaze evenly and grinned.

“I don’t know anything about theatre,” he said. He threw his arm over the back of the bench, trying to look nonchalant.

“Not a lot of culture in the Water Tribe?” Azula asked. Her voice was snotty, the same tone that Katara took on when Sokka made fun of her waterbending.

Sokka just tipped his head back to smile at her past Zuko’s head. “It's too cold to sit still long enough to watch a play, princess. Just a pile of ice, you know.”

He meant it as a joke, but Zuko’s shoulders just hunched in tighter. Sokka bit back a sigh. Even when he was _trying_ to be nice, he managed to fuck it up, apparently. Had he always been this bad with people? He’d always considered himself relatively sociable.

Ty Lee and Mai were chatting behind them, with Suki chiming in occasionally. Azula had gone back to ignoring them all, idly checking her nails as she waited for the performance to start. Beside Sokka, Zuko twisted his hands in his lap, looking very uncomfortable.

Sokka was just about to offer to move, because maybe he’d made a bad choice in sitting beside Zuko, when Zuko said quietly, “‘Love Amongst the Dragons’ is a good play. The, uh- the Ember Island Players are… not so good.”

His voice was soft enough that Sokka knew it was meant for him. He kept his gaze carefully directed towards the stage, hoping it would make Zuko less uncomfortable if he wasn’t looking at him.

“How bad are we talking?”

“They don’t really act. They just… shout, a lot.”

“Hm,” Sokka said. “I didn’t know your sister was an Ember Island Player.”

Zuko huffed, a half-laugh that was accompanied by a faint look of pleasant surprise. On his other side, Azula snapped, “Shut it, Water Tribe.”

Sokka’s retort was interrupted by the candles in the theatre dimming and the audience below breaking out into polite applause. He sat back against the bench, focusing his attention in on the stage. The curtains drew back, revealing a lone figure in a red mask with their arms poised above them like a dancer. 

Sokka definitely didn’t know much about theatre, but he understood enough to see that Zuko had been right- the Ember Island Players were _very bad_. Their lines were loud and overdramatic, and the story being told was lost beneath their overemotional portrayal. Sokka tried to keep up for the first few minutes, but found his attention drifting almost immediately. 

It was much more amusing to watch Zuko’s reactions to the performance. The theatre was dim, but a few candles had been left burning low in their sconces, illuminating the box enough for Sokka to see his expressions. When the two leads in the play met under the bright light of the fake moon hanging from the ceiling with ropes and passionately declared their love for one another, Zuko’s lips pulled back in a grimace. At one point during the main character’s monologue he actually scoffed out loud, and Sokka had to bite down on his tongue to keep from laughing at the clear disgust Zuko felt. 

It felt like the first act lasted for hours, but finally the curtains fell closed again, and the audience broke out into applause Sokka didn’t think was deserved. 

“Well, that was a nightmare,” Mai said behind them.

“I really liked the costumes,” said Ty Lee.

“I thought they would have improved since the last time we saw this.” Azula’s arms were crossed, and she was glaring down at the stage as though it had personally offended her. 

Sokka took a deep breath and pushed himself to his feet. He stretched his arms out, twisting his torso to move his cramped muscles, and declared, “I want a snack.” He glanced down at Zuko, who was staring down at his hands, and said, “Prince Zuko, would you like to join me?”

Zuko’s head darted up. He frowned, looking at Sokka closely as though searching for some hidden trick there, and Sokka felt another stab of guilt.

“Alright.” Zuko stood up. Beside him, Azula was glaring hotly at Sokka. As the two of them rounded the bench, Sokka caught Suki’s eye to find her watching him with a frown. Sokka just smiled at her brightly.

“Oh,” Ty Lee said, leaning forward so her braid swung eagerly, “could you get me some fire flakes?”

“Sure,” Sokka said, opening the door and waving Zuko through. “Fire flakes all around.”

The lobby was full of audience members out to stretch their legs during intermission and chat about the performance. There was a small concession stand in the corner with a short line of people in front of it, and Sokka led the way through the crowd, cutting through with half-hearted apologies.

When he reached the end of the line, he stopped and turned to face Zuko, who was looking around the crowded room, a look of distinct unease on his face.

“What’s the verdict, then?” Sokka asked, leaning in close so Zuko could hear him over the conversational din around them.

Zuko blinked and looked at him. “What?”

“The play,” Sokka said. “Is it as bad as you thought?”

“Oh,” Zuko said. “It’s, um- it’s a difficult work to pull off well. There’s a lot of nuance. The Ember Island Players are alright, just a little, um…” 

“Awful?” The woman who had lined up behind them lifted her head to scowl at Sokka. He grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes and turned away again. 

When Sokka returned his attention to Zuko, his expression had eased into something a little more comfortable. 

“They’ve never been very subtle in their performances,” he said. “They think everything needs to be spelled out for the audience.”

“At least the effects were decent,” said Sokka.

“Yes,” Zuko said. “Torn up pamphlets make excellent snow.”

Sokka snorted. The line moved forward, and they shuffled ahead a few steps. 

“I can’t believe we’re only halfway through,” he said.

Zuko pressed his lips together tightly. “I know my sister got these tickets because she was trying to be nice,” he said, “but I actually think it’s a form of slow torture.”

“Or quick torture,” Sokka said. “I was ready to throw myself from the balcony after the first scene.”

Finally, _finally_ , that drew a smile out of Zuko. It was very small, and he ducked his head immediately to look at his feet, but it was better than the uncomfortable wariness he’d been treating Sokka with for the last few hours.

“Hey,” Sokka said, struck by the sudden need to see Zuko smile again. He actually had a very pleasant one. “Let’s ditch.”

“What?” 

“I think I will literally drop dead if I have to watch anymore of that.”

“We can’t leave,” Zuko said, glancing over his shoulder like someone was watching them. “That’s- isn’t that rude?”

“Please, the actors aren’t focused on anything but themselves. C’mon, your highness,” Sokka said with a grin, “haven’t you ever broken the rules before?” 

Something strange passed over Zuko’s face. He hesitated visibly for a moment longer before his expression settled into something more certain of itself.

He reached out and grabbed Sokka’s arm, tugging him away from the concession stand, where they’d almost reached the front of the line. Sokka followed after him, too startled to question Zuko’s path through the crowd towards the front doors, or the warm press of his fingers around Sokka’s wrist. 

Zuko let go of him as they drew close to the door and one of the theatre attendants standing next to it, dressed in the red uniform everyone working there wore. 

“Excuse me,” Zuko said, “could you please go to box one and inform Princess Azula that her brother and Prince Sokka will be heading home for the night?” 

The attendant’s gaze flickered to Sokka, then back to Zuko. She looked suddenly very pale as she dropped into a hasty bow.

“Of course, your highness,” she said, and then ducked away back into the crowd.

“So Suki doesn’t worry,” Zuko said to Sokka. He tipped his head towards the open door. “We have a five minute head start.”

Zuko led the way out into the fresh air and down the front steps. The audience members who had been milling about outside were beginning to return to the building. Sokka followed Zuko past all of them, ignoring the odd looks they were receiving as the descended the hill that the theatre was perched on.

“Thank Tui,” Sokka said, tugging at the collar of his tunic and turning his face up to the sky. Night had fallen, and in the absence of the sun the island had cooled considerably. “It was so warm in there. Why’s it so hot everywhere?”

“It’s cooler here than Caldera,” Zuko said. They reached the bottom step and turned left down the path that would wind through the trees back towards the beach house. 

“Sure,” Sokka said. “I’m used to literally living in ice, though.”

“Oh. Right.”

A group of teenage girls walked past them back in the direction of town, giggling amongst themselves. Zuko kept his gaze fixed firmly ahead of them, hands clasped behind his back. Anyone watching them would have thought Sokka was forcing him to keep him company. 

Sokka kicked at a rock, sending it flying off the path into the bushes. “So you like the theatre?” he asked, taking another valiant stab at conversation. 

“I guess,” Zuko said. He hesitated, then continued, “My mother used to take me. Here, actually.” 

“You came to Ember Island a lot?”

“We came every summer. My mother, father, sister, and I. It was… nice.”

Zuko was clearly picking his words carefully. Sokka knew a little bit about his father, Ozai, the disgraced prince who had attempted some kind of coup for the crown, but he’d never cared enough to ask his father for any details. The only thing he knew for sure was that Ozai had been imprisoned indefinitely, and that no one liked speaking about him in the palace. 

“What’s your mother like?” Sokka asked, because he realized now that he’d never been told about Zuko’s mother.

“She’s lovely,” Zuko said immediately. “She’s… kind. I used to think she was the only decent person in our family.” 

“Does she live in Caldera?” Sokka didn’t think he’d ever met her.

Zuko kept his face turned away as he answered. “No. She lives in a small fishing village on the other side of the nation. I haven’t seen her in years.”

Fantastic; Sokka had managed to bring up yet another sore subject. He reached up to tug at his ponytail, awkwardly smoothing down one of the braids. He could hear the waves crashing against the shore distantly on the other side of the trees lining the dark pathway. They were walking by the light of the moon, which glowed brightly overhead. 

“My mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid,” Sokka said.

Zuko’s steps didn’t falter, but his shoulders inched higher as he tensed. “Oh,” he said. “I’m… so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Sokka said, and then shook his head. “I mean, it’s not, but- what I mean is, I understand what it’s like to lose your mother.”

“My mother’s still alive, Prince Sokka,” Zuko said. The words were a tad callous, and might have offended Sokka had he not heard the softness with which Zuko spoke them.

“But you miss her.”

A bird hooted somewhere in the distance. “Yes,” Zuko said.

Sokka nodded. “I understand.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes. Zuko was quiet, but Sokka could practically feel him thinking next to him, so he let him be. Sokka kept waiting for the gap in their conversation to turn awkward, but it was surprisingly comfortable to simply walk and listen to the sounds of the jungle, Zuko’s steady presence beside him. 

Sokka wasn’t particularly well known for letting silences sit long, though. As the beach house came into view at the crest of the hill ahead of him, he said, “So, you’re a theatre nerd- what else do you like to do?” 

Zuko glared at him, but it was clearly halfhearted. “You’re very annoying, do you know that?” 

“So I’ve been told.” Sokka knocked his elbow into Zuko’s and said, “C’mon, give me a hobby, hot-head.” 

Even in the darkness Sokka could see Zuko roll his eyes. “I don’t have time for hobbies. I have too much to help my uncle with.”

“You’ve got to do _something_ outside of your duties.”

Zuko shrugged. “I practice with my swords when I can.”

“Yeah,” Sokka said, climbing the first step leading up to the beach house. “I still don’t think it’s fair that you’re good at firebending and swordsmanship.”

“I’m not very good at firebending.”

Sokka shrugged. “Well, alright, I guess I haven’t seen you do that, but I have seen you with your swords. You’re really great.”

“Thank you,” Zuko said, sounding embarrassed. He hesitated for a moment, then said, “You are, too.” When Sokka just snorted, he continued with a touch of heat in his words, “You _are_. Obviously you could use formal training, but you have excellent reflexes.”

Sokka looked aside at him shrewdly. “You think?”

“Why would I be lying about this?”

“Flattery?”

“I’m not very good at flattery,” Zuko said dryly, and Sokka was startled into a chuckle.

“True,” he said.

They reached the front door, and Zuko pushed it open. The foyer was dark except for the candles that had been left lit by the servants that seemed to flit invisibly about the house.

“If you’d like to learn more, I can speak to my uncle about bringing someone in to tutor you,” Zuko said.

Sokka stopped walking. Zuko turned to look at him, face twisting quickly into a nervous frown.

“I mean,” he said, “I don’t mean to assume, or insinuate that you need it, or-”

“It’s fine, Prince Zuko,” Sokka said, raising his hand to stop the escalating speech. He looked at Zuko closely. “You would do that?”

“Sure,” Zuko said, looking surprised by the question, like it was perfectly reasonable to go out of his way to help someone that had been nothing but rude to him for weeks now. 

Sokka swallowed back another sharp wave of guilt. “I’d like that,” he said.

Zuko ducked his head, looking awkward all over again. “Alright,” he said. “I should, um-” He gestured behind him in the direction of his bedroom.

“Sure,” Sokka said. “Thank you for walking with me. I’m sorry I pulled you away from the performance.”

“Don’t be,” said Zuko. “You did me a favor. Really.”

Sokka smiled, and dipped into a shallow bow. “Goodnight, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko lifted his head. In the near darkness his eyes were deep gold, and his expression was softened by the flickering candlelight. Sokka felt something tighten in his chest as Zuko imitated his bow and said, “Goodnight, Prince Sokka.”

Zuko turned and left, disappearing down the hallway. Sokka watched him go, and then stood there for another long minute, gaze drifting to one of the flickering candle flames. 

Well. He’d been very wrong, apparently. Prince Zuko was a perfectly tolerable conversationalist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey. kayla here :) 
> 
> Thank you all for your patience with the slower update- I've had a long couple of weeks, and they just keep getting longer, but it was nice to sit down and write this chapter. If you're also keeping up with 'it's the illusion of separation,' that update will be coming soon, I promise- I got a little burnt out on that story because that was all I was writing for awhile, so it's nice to be able to focus on other projects for a little bit. I'll be returning to it shortly, though!
> 
> Thank you as always for your amazing comments. I am... very behind on replying, but I promise you they are so, SO appreciated.
> 
> Also- if you live in the United States and will be of voting age by November 3rd, this is your friendly reminder to register to vote! Things are real shitty right now and we all need to work together to make sure our voice is heard. 
> 
> I hope you all are having an amazing day. I'm sending you love and positivity :)


	13. sokka vii

SOKKA VII

Sokka’s new tentative truce with Prince Zuko led to quite a few positive changes. 

For one, Sokka didn’t feel quite as alienated in group activities as he had before. Sure, Azula was still icy and clearly held him contempt for his prior behavior, but Ty Lee jumped at every opportunity to chat with him- she almost reminded him of Aang in their identical abilities to simultaneously annoy Sokka and endear themselves to him- and even Mai had loosened a little to hold brief conversations with him. 

That made it possible for Sokka to actually enjoy spending his time on stretches of warm, beautiful beaches. The temperature was always high on Ember Island, but the heat wasn’t as dry as it was in Caldera City. Here it fell around him like the thick furs they wore as protection from the cold back home, except now he could stretch out in the sand bare-chested and not worry about frostbite. It was surprisingly pleasant, and Sokka found himself sleeping far better than he had in the past few weeks.

The best change by far came with Prince Zuko. Now that he wasn’t actively looking for reasons to dislike him, Sokka was surprised to find that he actually enjoyed his company. Zuko was still quiet and rarely spoke to Sokka unless he was drawn into conversation first, and he tended to fumble with his words when they did speak, but Sokka was beginning to find that endearing instead of off-putting. Now that he knew what to look for he could clearly pick out the red cheeks behind his scowl, or the way his eyes darted all around Sokka’s head like the shadow of a sundial rather than meeting Sokka’s gaze. 

And behind Prince Zuko’s temper was an almost alarmingly scathing wit that Sokka found both impressive and hilarious. More than once he’d found himself hiding laughter at some remark Zuko had made so as not to attract any further ire from Azula, since she was often the target of Zuko’s quips. 

Sokka was, against all odds, actually enjoying himself as the days passed on Ember Island. He spent as much of his time outside as he could, diving into the warm water or exploring the jungle surrounding the royal family’s home. He refused to take a formal guard, but Suki always seemed far more interested in joining him for his excursions than anyone else on the island, so he got away with just a personal bodyguard to keep him company.

The more time Sokka spent with her, the more he was impressed by… well, basically everything about Suki. She was smart in a lot of different ways, and could talk easily about battle strategy and politics and local wildlife in the same breath. She was highly skilled, and frighteningly capable with her fans. 

And she was beautiful. Already Sokka had nearly wandered off of several cliffs while craning his neck to catch her smile. 

All things considered, Sokka thought that the spirits had swung fate decidedly in his direction. 

X X X X X

It wasn’t often that Sokka woke up early, but when he did, he always found it difficult to fall back asleep. When he was roused in the early hours of the day by the rising sun streaming through curtains he’d forgotten to close the night before, he rolled over onto his stomach and pressed his face into his pillow. He allowed himself a few more minutes of grogginess before pushing himself up. He was awake now, and he might as well try and scrounge up something to eat. 

Sokka passed quietly through the house’s empty halls, making his way straight to the kitchen. He poked his head through the doorway, glanced around, and was surprised to find it empty. It seemed it was too early even for the servants to be bothering with making too much noise. Sokka glanced regretfully at the closed pantry doors before turning away, deciding instead to pass through the courtyard. Maybe he’d go for an early morning walk before Suki got up to yell at him for leaving without a guard.

As he reached the doorway leading out to the courtyard, Sokka paused. He could hear noises outside, footsteps and grunts and the faint swoosh of flames licking through the air. Sokka hesitated on principle; it wasn’t in his people’s nature to approach the sound of fire.

Sokka already had both feet firmly planted in enemy territory, though. He eased through the doorway and stepped out into the courtyard.

It was just after sunrise, or maybe the tail end of it. The sky was painted in fresh shades of orange and pink, tinged with the lingering stars of the previous night’s sky at the corners. What would turn into a very warm day was starting off cool and crisp, with dew hanging on the leaves of the jungle plants around them and salt from the tide far below scenting the air. 

Prince Zuko stood in the center of the courtyard. Sokka paused at the first sight of flames in the air. He watched as Zuko dropped low into a purposeful crouch, swinging his foot out and leaving fire in its wake. Just as quickly as he’d went down he popped back up onto his feet, pouncing into another move that sent a gust of fire towards the sky. 

Sokka watched Zuko move through the practice forms, captivated by the precision of it all. It was clear that each of the moves were well thought out and carefully perfected. Zuko flowed from one position to the next with the same ease Sokka saw in Katara and Aang when they bended, and Sokka even thought he recognized some of the footwork Zuko was using. Still, there was something distinctive about the way that Zuko moved, with some kind of coiled grace, a steady power kept right beneath the surface of his movements. 

Sokka was a warrior, and as he watched the muscles of Prince Zuko’s bare back flex under the rising sun, he knew to recognize that same level of precision in the other prince. 

It took a surprising amount of time for Zuko to realize that Sokka was there. For his part, he didn’t let it deter his practice; Sokka saw his feet fumble a moment when Zuko’s eyes swept over him, but the prince simply ducked his head down and continued through his forms. He looked to be almost done by that point, so Sokka wandered over to the bench to watch and wait as Zuko finished with an impressive spin. 

When he rose, Zuko turned to face the rising sun, pressed his fist to his palm, and bowed at the waist. Sokka watched curiously as Zuko came over to join him, shoulders rising and falling as he breathed heavily. 

“What was that about?” he asked.

“Firebenders should thank the sun after practicing katas,” Zuko said. He picked up the waterskin that had been left on the bench and pulled the cap off. “Or at least, that’s what Uncle always taught me. It’s what gives us our energy, after all.”

Not unlike the way Katara seemed to worship the moon when it was full, Sokka thought idly as he watched Zuko take several deep gulps.

“I’ve never actually seen firebending up close before.”

Zuko lowered the waterskin and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He’d tied his hair up into a topknot, but it had come loose in his practice. Several sweat-stroked strands clung to the side of his face, framing his shrewd expression.

“The Fire Sages did it at our wedding,” he said.

“Oh, you know what I mean. I meant I haven’t seen firebending like, you know.” He gestured at the courtyard where Zuko had been. “That.” 

Zuko’s eyes narrowed. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” he asked, because he still always jumped on the offense at the start of each of their conversations, apparently.

Sokka rolled his eyes and dropped down onto the bench. “Relax, hot-head.” He grabbed a towel that had been placed, neatly folded, next to the waterskin, and tossed it towards Zuko. “I’m trying to say it was impressive.” 

Zuko caught the towel with both hands. When he lowered it, his cheeks were faintly red. 

“Yeah, well,” he said. He sat down next to Sokka and wiped at his face with the towel. “Azula’s a far better bender than I am. You should see her do it.”

“And yet, you’re the one out here practicing, not her,” Sokka said. 

Zuko didn’t respond to that, instead choosing to scrub at his face with the towel. Sokka leaned back, bracing his hands against the cool stone bench. “Those are katas, then?” he asked.

Zuko dropped the towel into his lap. Sokka was still acutely aware of how shirtless he was at the moment, and the way the sweat on his chest gleamed in the early morning light. “Yes. Still think it looks like dancing?”

Zuko’s lips were twitching faintly. Sokka grinned and said, “Absolutely. You know, you could audition for the Ember Island Players with those moves.”

Zuko huffed a laugh and hid it behind another sip from his waterskin. That was the one thing Sokka hadn’t quite cracked yet; he’d managed to make Zuko smile a few times, but he hadn’t heard anyone at all make Zuko actually laugh. Sokka wasn’t altogether certain that the other boy was even capable of it, or if it was just a quirk of his to never give more than a tight smile when he was amused by something. 

“You’re up early,” Zuko noted.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Sokka said. “I was trying to find something to eat.”

“The chefs won’t be up for another half hour.”

“Getting up early is kind of shitty.”

Zuko folded his towel and dropped it back onto the bench. “It isn’t all bad.” He stood, grabbing his discarded shirt and shaking it out. He tilted his head back in the direction of the house and said, “Follow me.”

Sokka trailed after Zuko, trying very hard not to stare at his back and shoulders as Zuko pulled his shirt back over his head. They walked through the quiet halls, where Sokka could hear the faintest sounds of activity beginning to stir in the kitchen, and through the front door.

“Are we going for a swim?” Sokka asked, jogging a bit down the wooden steps to catch up with Zuko. “Cause I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

Zuko shot a look at him out of the corner of his eye. “No,” he said. Without explaining further, he took a hard right off the path and into the green jungle lining both sides of the walkway.

“Uh, Prince Zuko,” Sokka said, stepping down into the damp earth. He ducked beneath a low-hanging vine and shoved his way after the prince. “If you’re trying to take me somewhere to kill me, I’m certain there are far less obvious places to do it.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?” Zuko asked over his shoulder.

“Never.”

Sokka almost stumbled when Zuko drew to a halt. There was a low rock overhanging a short cliff, free of any bushes or shrubs. Sokka stepped onto it beside Zuko and said, “Is this the part where- oh.”

The break in the foliage meant they had a fantastic view of the beach. The sky was still pink and orange, littered with stray clouds that soaked up the excess color, and it provided a beautiful backdrop for the water.

“If that’s all it took to get you to stop talking, I would have brought you out here a lot sooner.”

Sokka glared down at Zuko, who had sat down on the edge of the rock. “Ass,” he said without any heat, dropping down to join him. 

Sokka could hear insects chirping in the trees overhead, and further away the guttural calls of the birds that lived closer to the shores. Sokka let his legs dangle over the side of the rock, swinging them idly. 

“Nice view,” he said.

“It’s even better at sunset.”

Sokka kept one eye on the sunrise and one on Zuko, who had shifted to keep at least a foot of space between the two of them. He was sitting with his legs crossed, shoulders back and hands neatly in his lap. It was Sokka’s private opinion that Prince Zuko needed to loosen up a little. 

“What’s on your agenda today?” he asked, even though Zuko looked like he would be comfortable just sitting in silence.

Zuko shrugged, then pulled a small face. “Azula mentioned something about a party tonight,” he said, “so I’ll probably be trying to get out of that.”

Sokka grinned. “A party? That sounds awesome.” 

Zuko shook his head, letting some of his hair fall into his face. “We’re not really party people.”

“But now you’ve got me,” Sokka said. He glanced out at the shore, watching the waves lick the sand. “I wonder if Suki’ll come.”

Zuko shifted where he sat. When Sokka looked back at him, he was staring carefully at his lap.

“You and Suki get along well,” he said.

“Yeah,” Sokka said. “She’s awesome. Not a lot of girls like her in the Water Tribe.” 

Zuko was quiet for a moment. Then he moved, climbing to his feet and brushing nonexistent dirt off of his trousers.

“I should go freshen up before breakfast,” he said.

“Oh, okay,” Sokka said. As Zuko turned to leave he leaned back on his hands and said, “Sorry for crashing your, uh, katas thing.” 

Zuko tilted his head to the side without quite looking at Sokka. The strengthening sunlight touched the corner of his small smile, the sharp slant of his nose.

“Enjoy the sunrise, Prince Sokka,” he said.

Sokka watched him go, then turned back to look at the water again. A gull swooped low over the sand, squawking faintly into the early morning air. 

X X X X X

At the first mention of the word party, a line was clearly drawn in the sand for the small group. Those enthused about it included Ty Lee, Sokka, and Suki, and the ones who would only be dragged to a party kicking and screaming included Mai, Azula, and Zuko.

Well, they weren’t really the type to do any kind of kicking and screaming. They actually spent the day sulking to various degrees, and glaring hotly every time someone tried to speak to them.

“Oh, c’mon.” Ty Lee bounced forward on the path, grabbing Mai’s arm and tugging her forward. “It’ll be fun! We haven’t spoken to other people for the entire trip.”

“We don’t need other people,” Zuko muttered. He was trailing behind the group, and even Sokka wasn’t going to attempt to engage him when he looked that moody. 

“I’ve never been to a Fire Nation party before,” said Suki.

Sokka was finding it very difficult to not just stare at Suki as they walked. She was wearing a pair of silky red trousers and a matching cropped top, and had tied her hair half-up with a golden ribbon. In the fading light she seemed to glow.

“They’ve got nothing on Water Tribe parties.” Sokka hooked his arms behind his head and turned to walk backwards, grinning at Suki. “We get the best baijiu from Omashu, and there’s _always_ an indoor sledding ramp.”

“And I’m sure you invite all the seals and penguins and gather around the fire to sing happy little songs together,” said Azula with a smile, her words dripping with fake cheer. 

“Hey,” Sokka said, “singing penguins are a longstanding tradition in the Northern Water Tribe.” 

Suki grinned. “Everything is a longstanding tradition with you,” she said. Her foot darted out, quick as a mink snake, and hooked around Sokka’s ankle. He grunted as he stumbled, coming down backwards and landing on his ass in the dirt.

“Oh, har, har,” he said as the girls giggled around him. He tilted his head back to glare upside down as they continued walking. “Yeah, let’s all laugh at the foreigner.”

Someone shoved a hand in his face. Sokka glanced up at Zuko, who was watching him with a raised eyebrow, and accepted the hand up.

“Thanks,” he said as Zuko helped pull him to his feet. He wiped his pants off, hoping he didn’t have a dirt imprint on his behind. 

“You’re trying too hard,” Zuko said.

“Come again?”

“With Suki,” Zuko said. “You need to ease up on all the…” 

“Flair?” Sokka suggested.

“Obnoxiousness,” Zuko said. 

Sokka slumped his shoulders forward. “Right,” he said. “No, I know. It’s just- there were never a ton of, uh, options when I was growing up. I never had a chance to practice much. Especially not after I found out about our, um-”

“Marriage?” Zuko smiled a little ruefully as they began walking again, trailing after the girls on the dimly lit path. “Well, speaking as your husband, I recommend that you just relax a little bit. You and Suki get along just fine without you trying to go over the top to impress her.”

“We do, don’t we.” Sokka strained his eyes, staring at the back of Suki’s head as she walked with the other girls far ahead of them. “Maybe I’ll ask her to dance with me later.” 

“Somehow I can’t picture that going well.”

“Hey, I’m an excellent dancer,” Sokka said.

“And I’m the Earth King,” Zuko said.

“Okay, just for that, you get a dance with me, too, hot-shot.” 

The dying sunlight tinged Zuko’s face with red. He looked very nice as well, Sokka noted. Despite his protests about the party, he’d tied his hair back neatly, and was dressed in a trim crimson tunic that showed off his arms. 

“I don’t, um,” Zuko said, eyes fixed firmly on the path ahead of them. “I don’t like to dance.”

“This is going to be a rough night for you then.”

Zuko sighed. “I know.”

They followed the girls down the path through what seemed to be a more residential area of the island. Beautiful houses were spotted here and there in the trees- none quite as impressive as the royal family’s home, but still interesting to look at. Most were quiet, with the windows either dark or glowing with cozy light from inside the home. 

Finally they began to hear the sounds of a lot of teens shoved into one small area. They approached a large house at the far end of the pathway whose door was hanging wide open. Sokka could see people inside, tons of people, and he perked up immediately, already anticipating the energy.

The girls stopped at the foot of the stairs to wait for Zuko and Sokka to join them. Azula watched them approach with crossed arms and a scowl, then said, “Finally. Alright everyone, huddle up.”

“Uh,” Sokka said, “for what?”

Azula rolled her eyes. “We need a game plan, obviously.” And then, seemingly just because she could, she added, “Idiot.”

“A game plan?” Sokka chuckled. “It’s a party. The only game plan you need is to go and have fun.” 

“We don’t get invited to many parties,” Ty Lee said with a shrug.

“And we’re royalty. Well, some of us are,” Azula said with a pointed look at Suki. She shook her shoulders back, raised her chin, and said, “Alright. I was invited by a boy named Chan, in case anyone asks to see our invitations. I am going to try and find him as soon as we enter the party.”

“Aw, I think your sister’s got a crush,” Sokka said quietly to Zuko beside him. 

Azula’s sharp eyes narrowed in on Sokka. Sokka straightened his posture on reflex.

“You’re on rapidly melting ice, Water Tribe,” she said. “I can revoke your invitation anytime I please.”

Sokka held his hands up in surrender, trying to look as innocent as possible. He caught Suki’s eye, and she returned his grin with a small one of her own before she cleared her throat and turned to Azula.

“Permission to speak, Princess?” she asked.

Azula scowled at her, then waved her hand. “Proceed.”

“If anyone feels the need to leave early, please inform me directly.” She looked to Sokka and Zuko, one eyebrow raised. “I’m talking to you two.”

Sokka nodded sharply and crossed one arm over his chest. “Prince’s honor,” he said. Zuko snorted softly next to him, and Sokka bit back another grin. 

“You’re all idiots,” Azula said with a shake of her head. She turned on her heel and started marching towards the stairs. “Come,” she called over her shoulder. 

Ty Lee bounced eagerly up the stairs after her, followed by Mai at a much more subdued pace. Suki lingered long enough to grin at Sokka and Zuko and say, “This will be interesting,” before turning to follow them.

“This is such a bad idea,” Zuko said.

“Aw, lighten up, my dear husband.” Sokka said. He nodded towards the open entrance. “C’mon, we have a party to crash.”

Inside, the party was just as packed as it had looked from the outside. It looked to be mostly people their age, all dressed in the casual Fire Nation style favored by Ember Island. Sokka was glad that he had taken Mai and Ty Lee’s advice to dress in the shades of red provided to him by the palace; although he loved attention, he didn’t particularly want to tip anyone off as to who he was. 

He hadn’t been able to hide his hair, though, or his eyes, which both marked him as firmly not Fire Nation. As he slipped through the crowd, following the direction he thought Suki had gone, he felt eyes on him, curious gazes that made his skin prickle.

He thought he spotted Suki off to the side of the room, but before he could cut through to reach her his path was suddenly blocked by a short girl with long dark hair and big eyes. 

“Hi,” she said, smiling up at him. “You’re not from Ember Island, are you?”

Someone jostled Sokka from behind. He smiled politely back at the girl and said, “What gave it away?”

She giggled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Golden bracelets jangled around her wrist with the movement. 

“Just a hunch,” she said. “Did you move here?”

“I’m here on vacation, actually,” Sokka said. “Just for another few days.”

“What a shame,” the girl said. “We don’t get to spend much time together, then.”

Sokka smiled again vaguely, glancing as discretely as possible over her shoulder for Suki or Zuko or even Azula. All he really wanted to do was go and find someone that he knew, just to get his bearings a little, but they seemed to have all evaporated into thin air the second they’d stepped foot into the party. He wondered if that was part of the game plan, too.

“Where are you from?” the girl asked.

“Um,” Sokka said. “Just a little farther north.”

“Oh, like Shuhon Island?” The girl beamed at him, and shuffled a little closer so he could hear her over the conversations around them. “I’ve got family there!” 

“Wow, what a small world,” said Sokka.

The girl shoved her hand at him and said, “My name is Su.”

Sokka accepted her hand and said, “Sokka,” which he didn’t realize was a mistake until Su’s eyes went even wider and her grip on Sokka’s hand tightened.

“Sokka?” she asked. “As in, Prince Sokka? From, like, the Water Tribe?”

“Um,” Sokka said. Su hadn’t let go of his hand yet. “Yes?”

Su stepped even closer, staring at Sokka as though she hadn’t just been speaking to him for several minutes. “Holy shit,” she said, “literally _everyone_ wanted to go to your wedding! Oh my gosh, is Prince Zuko here, too? Why are you on Ember Island?” She sucked in a sharp breath and said with clear delight, “Are you on your honeymoon?”

“Oh,” Sokka said. Su had gotten progressively louder, and was beginning to draw the attention of people around them. He tugged his hand out of hers and said, “I don’t think-”

“Your hair is so white.” Su leaned forward, bracelets jangling, and raised her hand to touch a strand that had fallen from Sokka’s ponytail. “Is everyone’s like that in the water tribe?” 

Sokka jerked his head away from her with a frown. “Excuse me,” he said, “but-” 

A hand wrapped around his arm. Sokka tried to shake it off, turning to glare at whoever was grabbing him, and was surprised to see Zuko’s now-familiar glower staring back at him.

Su made another high-pitched sound. “Your highness!” 

“Come on, Prince Sokka, you’re needed at the snack table,” Zuko said, shoving Sokka away from Su and the growing audience around them.

Sokka let Zuko guide him through the crowd, trusting that the prince would steer him away from the chaos behind them. Sokka’s heart was pounding in his chest, and he felt warm all over in a way that had nothing to do with the bodies pressed around them.

The snack table was tucked into the corner of the room, and was relatively clear of people. As soon as they were free from the majority of people Zuko released Sokka’s arm, leaving behind just a ghost of the pressure.

“Hey, thanks,” Sokka said, slumping against the table with relief. “Man, girls are _scary_.”

“And you’re incredibly dense.” Zuko crossed his arms and scowled harder at him.

“Huh?” Sokka asked incredulously. “What did I do?”

“Rule one of being royalty- don’t tell anyone your real name if you don’t want to get caught. _Especially_ when the entire nation was celebrating your wedding less than a week ago!” 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sokka said, “I’m not used to people going totally psycho just because I’ve got a different job from them. No one in the Water Tribe cares about shit like that.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that you’re not in the Water Tribe anymore?” 

“Well, you don’t have to be an ass about it!” Sokka said, raising his voice to be heard over the music and drawing the attention of a few people around them. Both he and Zuko turned their backs, glaring down at their respective parts of the snack table until the attention shifted away from them once more. 

Zuko huffed and snatched up a cup from the pile that had been left out next to a punch bowl. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, grabbing the ladle in the bowl and pouring some of the red juice into the cup. 

Sokka leaned in closer and said, “Sorry, what was that? Did Prince Zuko just _apologize_ to me?”

“Don’t push it.” Zuko shoved the cup at Sokka, and off his questioning glance said, “I don’t know, but it’s probably spiked.”

Sokka nodded his thanks and took a long sip. It was a fruity punch definitely laced with something bitter and alcoholic. He felt it burn his throat as it went down.

“I hate these things.” Zuko had gotten a glass for himself as well, but seemed more content to stand there and glare at everyone around them instead of drinking it.

“I kind of get your point now,” Sokka said. Across the room a pair of girls were screaming about something; Sokka couldn’t tell if it was out of excitement or the start of a fight. “This isn’t as cool as I thought it would be.”

“Thought?” Zuko’s glare softened enough for his lips to curl into a smirk. “I thought you were the party god of the Water Tribe?”

“Well, I’m less of a party god and more of a ‘I spend most of my time with my grandmother’ god,” Sokka said. He pointed his cup at Zuko. “Don’t tell your sister.”

Zuko placed a hand over his heart and said, “Prince’s honor,” with a grin.

Sokka rolled his eyes, smiling now, and took another sip of his drink. He was already far more sober than everyone else in the room, and it was time for him to catch up.

“Hey, we should just ditch,” he said.

“I thought you were trying to court Suki, not get murdered by her?”

Sokka’s eyes widened with delight. “I’m sorry,” he said, “did you just say _court_?” 

Zuko’s expression tightened. “So?”

“Tui and La, I’m married to an eighty year-old.” 

“People still say court!” 

“Yeah,” Sokka said. “Hey, maybe you should try and court my grandmother?”

“Maybe I will,” Zuko snapped. 

“Ew, gross,” Sokka said, raising his cup to hide his grin. “Since we’re married now, she’s technically _your_ grandmother too. I can’t believe you want to court your own Gran Gran.” 

“If I do, then I’ll be your husband _and_ your grandfather, so I’ll have double the authority over you.”

Sokka barked out a laugh. “You have no authority over me, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko raised his eyebrows. Despite the sharpness of his words, Sokka detected amusement in the slant of his lips. “Is that a challenge, Prince Sokka?”

The alcohol twisted in Sokka’s stomach. He felt the smile drop off his face as he stared at Zuko, whose grin was slowly fading as well. His eyes were even prettier up close, like two shards of brilliant amber. 

After a few moments of silence, Zuko opened his mouth to say something- Sokka almost leaned closer, to make sure he didn’t miss it- but before he could speak he was interrupted by a familiar voice saying, “There you two are. I thought you’d run off again.”

Sokka turned to look at Suki, who was smiling broadly at them. Her hair was mussed and her cheeks shone faintly with sweat, which meant she’d probably been dancing. 

“We’d never disobey direct orders, Suks.” Sokka hoped his grin wasn’t as shaky as he felt.

Suki looked at him a bit oddly, then said, “Do you guys want to come dance?”

“Yes,” Sokka said, immediately and too loud. He set his cup down on the snack table and glanced at Zuko, who had dropped his gaze to the floor. “Would you like to come, Prince Zuko?”

“No, thank you,” Zuko said. He nodded at Suki, eyes still averted, and then turned to disappear back into the crowd.

Sokka watched him go, swallowing past a lump that had grown in his throat. He felt someone press close to him, and turned to see Suki looking up at him with a calculating gaze.

“What was that?” she asked.

“Huh? Nothing.” Sokka should have been excited to have Suki practically hanging off of his arm, but instead he pulled away, smiling as he grabbed her wrist and tugged her towards the dance floor. “C’mon, didn’t you want to dance?” 

Suki still looked suspicious, but she let Sokka pull her away. They ended up joining Ty Lee, who was dancing with a group of people in the corner of the room. Mai stood off to the side looking content to just watch and sip at her juice. Azula was nowhere to be found, but Ty Lee leaned in close to Sokka’s ear and told him between giggles that she had gone outside with Chan, the host.

Eventually Zuko reappeared, this time to stand next to Mai. Sokka felt his heavy gaze on him as he twirled Suki, laughing as he stumbled through moves that were apparently traditional on Kyoshi Island. Sokka tried not to pay him any attention; he’d already decided that Zuko could be a little strange sometimes, and that he shouldn’t worry over it.

They danced until their feet were tired, and then they went to join Mai and Zuko, who had claimed a couch in the corner of the room and were now sitting with their heads very close together as they spoke. Ty Lee squeezed on, half in her girlfriend’s lap with her arms wrapped around her. Sokka and Suki leaned up against the wall beside them.

“You’re not a bad dancer,” Sokka told her.

“Thanks,” said Suki. “You’re terrible.” 

Sokka grinned and shoved at her with his elbow. On the couch, Ty Lee tipped her head back onto Zuko’s shoulder and said, “Is Azula still with that boy?”

As though summoned by the mention of her name, Azula suddenly appeared in the crowd. She was glowering at them all, arms folded tightly in front of her.

“And what are you all doing bumming around in the corner?”

“We’re just waiting for you to finish paying our entrance fees,” Mai said dryly.

Azula sneered at her. “At least I know how to have fun,” she said. She turned her gaze on her brother and said, “What on earth are you so upset about now, Zuzu?”

Sokka glanced at Zuko, who was glaring at his sister. “Nothing,” he said.

Azula rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Are we ready to leave?”

“Oh!” Ty Lee got to her feet and grabbed Mai’s wrists, tugging her up as well. “Do you think the chefs at home will make us something for dessert?”

“I can force them to,” said Azula. 

“Finally, something worth celebrating,” Mai said, letting Ty Lee take her hand and pull her away after Azula. 

Zuko got to his feet and followed without a second look at anyone else. As Sokka and Suki fell into step behind him, Suki touched his elbow and said, “Did you do something rude again?”

“What?” Sokka frowned. “Of course not.”

“Hm,” Suki said, looking thoughtfully after Zuko. “I wonder what happened.”

“It’s Zuko,” Sokka reminded her as they slipped out the front door and stepped into the cool night air. Darkness had fallen long ago, and the moon hung high in the sky over them. “He doesn’t need a reason to be grumpy.”

Suki didn’t look convinced, but as they joined the rest of the group at the bottom of the stairs she allowed the conversation to shift to what kind of dessert they wanted when they got back. The six of them walked back under the guiding light of the moon, chatting idly about not much at all. Sokka stayed close to Suki’s side and tried not to think too hard about why Zuko was being so quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> Heyyyyyyyyy! So sorry about my extended absence. A lot has been happening in my personal life and I just haven't felt up to writing. I really enjoyed getting back into the swing of this story, though, so hopefully I'll be able to stick to a more regular updating schedule. 
> 
> I hope you all have been doing well recently. Thank you for your continued support on this story- I hope you enjoyed the chapter! You know I had to keep just a liiiiiittle angst, but it'll all get resolved eventually, I swear.
> 
> I hope you're taking care of yourselves <3 please feel free to let me know how you're doing, I've missed chatting with you all!


	14. zuko v

ZUKO V

At the end of their few weeks on Ember Island, Zuko was surprised to find that he had fallen into a very comfortable routine. Zuko had always associated the island with memories that were happy enough, but too bittersweet to revisit often (something that tended to happen with any memories involving his father). He’d expected this visit to feel much the same.

After the incident at the beginning of the trip, though- and, seriously, Azula had pulled a lot of shit in her life, but that was one Zuko wasn’t going to forgive for a long time- the rest of it went almost too smoothly. Zuko spent his mornings working on his bending and the rest of his time visiting with his sister. Most days, Prince Sokka disappeared with Suki to do spirits-knows-what, but Zuko saw him at meals and group outings, and it was actually… pleasant. 

Zuko still wasn’t quite sure how to act around him, and was constantly worried he’d say something that would launch them back into their earlier hatred, but Sokka’s efforts to engage him in conversation seemed genuine. He spoke with Zuko whenever he could and actually seemed interested in what Zuko had to say, which was more care than anyone else in Zuko’s life had ever treated him with. 

The only problem was that as Zuko came to know Sokka, his last few arguments for the unsuitability of their match started fading away. When he wasn’t being an ass, Sokka was very charismatic, and managed to start conversations that even Zuko felt at ease in. He was hilarious- something Zuko would _never_ admit- and far from harboring any kind of resentment for his earlier behavior, Zuko found himself wanting to spend more and more time with him.

It was an issue, because although he and Sokka were getting along now, it didn’t change the reality of their relationship- or, more accurately, their pointed lack of one.

Zuko almost missed the time in which he and Sokka argued with one another, because at least then Zuko could focus on the worst parts of him. Now Zuko was finding it harder and harder to think about anything except for Sokka and his stupid smile and his stupid chest and his dumb, stupid laugh. 

Even better, Zuko felt like he was witnessing some slow, dramatic love story between Sokka and Suki unfolding as if it were on a stage. He could see it now- the beautiful chief and his bodyguard, forced to keep their romance a secret because of the evil Fire Nation prince coming between them. 

Even in his own love story, Zuko was the villain.

It wasn’t that big of a deal. Sokka and Suki were never overtly public about whatever was going on between them, so all Zuko had to endure was watching them slip off into little deserted parts of the island for significant portions of the day. At least when they were all together, Sokka did his best to try and include Zuko in conversations when he could.

Still, in spite of all of this, Zuko was genuinely enjoying his time on the island and with his sister, whom he was pretty sure had been starving for company more than she would ever admit. He was surprised when he looked at the date and realized that they only had a few days left, and voiced as much to the group over breakfast.

“We should celebrate,” Ty Lee said, leaning eagerly forward over her fruit.

“Please not another party,” Mai groaned.

Ty Lee seemed to think for a moment, then brightened. “A bonfire! Oh, please, Azula?”

“Sounds childish and pointless,” Azula said. She checked her nails, let it linger for a moment, then sighed and said, “Oh, alright.”

Jeez. Azula really had been starving for company. 

That was how they found themselves gathered on the beach on the eve of their departure from Ember Island. It was just the six of them sitting around the fire, with Zuko and Azula taking turns keeping it lit. They had dragged large pieces of driftwood over to sit on; Zuko had expected Sokka and Suki to sit close together, but when he’d taken a seat on a log barely large enough for two he’d been surprised when Sokka had dropped down beside him. Sokka had smiled at him in a way that made Zuko’s heart flip violently in his chest, and Zuko had silently cursed whatever spirits were out there for putting him in this situation. 

“The beach is so pretty at night,” Ty Lee said when they had all settled into their seats. She and Mai were sitting on a low piece of driftwood together, with Suki nestled comfortably in the sand at their feet. Zuko wasn’t sure when those three had gotten so close, but even Mai seemed content to position her knees for Suki to use as a headrest. 

“It’s pretty all the time,” Suki said, brushing one hand over the sand.

“It’s alright,” Azula said. She crossed her legs, eyeing the fire carefully. It crackled in response, stray embers jumping off the log and bouncing in her direction only to fizzle out in the sand. “I’m eager to return to Caldera, though. As soon as my education is complete I’ll be able to resume my rightful duties, and life will be interesting once more.”

“You’re here for your education, then?” Sokka asked. 

“That,” Azula said, “and my dear, sweet uncle had no idea what to do with me.”

“Azula,” Zuko said with a small sigh.

“Oh, yes, my apologies,” said Azula. “The dear, sweet _Fire Lord_.”

“It’s going to be so nice when you’re back in Caldera,” Ty Lee said. She was lounging sideways against Mai, who had one arm wrapped loosely around her waist. “We’ll get to do so much stuff.”

“She’ll have to leave Chan, though,” Mai said. 

The fire flickered dangerously in the pit. “There’s nothing happening between Chan and I,” said Azula with a sniff. 

“Did you decide he’s actually _not_ a good kisser, then?” Suki said with a small smirk.

The flames surged into the air. Azula glowered at Suki and said loudly, “I told you that in _confidence_!”

“Hey, wait.” Zuko straightened up on the log. "We weren’t joking about this Chan guy?”

“Uh oh,” Ty Lee said, pressing a hand over her giggles. “I think Zuko’s feeling protective.”

“I am not,” Zuko said. He rounded on Azula with a glare, who cocked a cool eyebrow at him. “Who is this guy?”

“Relax, dude,” Sokka said, patting Zuko on the shoulder.

(And that had been an issue as well- Sokka tended to _sprawl_ wherever he sat, which meant that Zuko had been playing a careful balancing act between trying not to touch Sokka at all and not falling off his log. It was a difficult feat.) 

“It always sucks when your little sister starts dating someone,” Sokka said. “Hey, at least Azula isn’t trying to date the Avatar! Now _that_ sucked.”

“ _Azula_ can speak for herself,” Azula said, scowling at Sokka. She turned to Zuko and said, “Hey, at least I’m not trying to date the Avatar.” 

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me about this?” Zuko asked.

“Because it isn’t any of your business,” Azula said. She crossed her arms and looked down her nose at him, the way she had when she’d been six and demanded he hand over the rest of his tarts. “Besides, you didn’t even tell me about your _wedding_. I got an announcement scroll from one of those stupid Fire Sages.”

“That’s different and you know it,” Zuko said, pinching the bridge of his nose in preparation for his oncoming headache. Agni, he’d be trying to scrub the mental image of his little sister _kissing_ someone from his mind for the rest of the night.

“You know Azula, I really wish you had come to the wedding,” Ty Lee said. At some point her hands had fallen to Suki’s hair. She was weaving tiny braids into it, still leaning up against Mai. 

“Oh, I’m sure the union of two men who’d only known each other a week was terribly romantic,” Azula said. 

“I thought it was cool,” Sokka piped up. When Zuko turned to look at him incredulously, he amended, “Okay, fine, I thought it was terrifying. Fire Nation weddings are so… extravagant. It felt like there were so many steps.”

“It’s tradition,” Ty Lee said. She tied off a braid on one side of Suki’s head and moved to the other, combing her fingers gently through her hair to gather it up. “What are weddings like in the Water Tribe?”

“Smaller,” Sokka said. “Although I guess you guys don’t invite entire nations to every wedding.” Sokka leaned back in his seat, looking thoughtful. His knee brushed Zuko’s as he shifted in his seat. His face was lit only by the crackling flames in front of him and the bright moon in the sky above him, bathing him in gold and silver light. “I guess the biggest part of it is the betrothal necklace.” 

Ty Lee’s eyes went wide. “That sounds so romantic,” she said. “What is it?”

“It’s a Northern Water Tribe tradition. When someone wants to propose to someone else, they carve a necklace to announce their intentions. The design on it is supposed to be a unique symbol for their love. The engagement becomes official when the necklace is worn.” 

Ty Lee sighed. “How lovely.”

“I’ve never heard of that custom,” Suki said. “In the Earth Kingdom, we propose with rings. Earthbenders are expected to make their own using their bending.” 

“Such silly trifles,” Azula said. “Thankfully the Fire Nation doesn’t do anything nearly as sentimental.” 

“Oh, come on,” said Sokka. “There has to be _some_ stupid tradition about love in the Fire Nation.”

Zuko tried to ease further to the side, trying to get away from the brush of Sokka’s shoulder against his without alerting the other boy of his discomfort. It was dark enough that Zuko hoped he wouldn’t be noticed. 

From across the fire Mai spoke for the first time in awhile. “Zuko used to have a story,” she said.

Zuko looked up from his feet, startled, as Ty Lee said, “Oh, yeah, the one about soulmates! Can you tell it, Zuko?”

“Soulmates?” Sokka asked, sounding interested. His shoulder was pressed fully against Zuko’s now as he turned to look at him more closely.

“It’s nothing,” Zuko said. His cheeks felt warm, and he knew it had nothing to do with the flames in front of him. 

“I’ve never heard you say anything about soulmates,” Azula said with a suspicious frown.

“That’s because it’s just a stupid story. It’s not like it’s real or anything.”

“I’d enjoy hearing it,” Suki said. Ty Lee had completed three braids in her hair now, making her look a little lopsided. 

Zuko hesitated. He glanced aside at Sokka, who had twisted fully in his seat to look at Zuko. When he met his gaze Sokka stuck his lower lip out in a pout- the audacity of using _polar bear puppy eyes_ \- and folded his hands in his lap like he was waiting for a bedtime story.

“Oh, alright,” Zuko said with a huff. “It’s stupid, though.” He thought for a moment, trying to remember the way his mother had phrased it all those years ago. He had been so simplistic in his belief back then, so gullible. No wonder his father had been upset by his attachment to the story. 

“I guess it starts with inner flames,” Zuko said. He glanced again at Sokka, who looked as confused as Zuko had expected. Zuko elaborated, “When firebenders are born, Agni- the sun spirit- gifts them with a small piece of His life force. It’s like, a tiny spiritual flame that keeps us alive, and gives us the energy to bend. It’s why we’re the only benders that can produce our element from nothing.”

“This part’s real?” Sokka asked, eyeing Zuko’s chest almost suspiciously. 

Zuko bit back a small smile. “Yes. It’s how we determine which children will grow to be benders. The stronger your inner flame, the stronger your bending.”

“The Fire Sages always said I have the strongest inner flame they’ve ever seen,” Azula said.

“It’s all that hot air,” said Mai. Azula glared at her. 

“Shh,” Sokka said, waving a hand at them. He turned back to Zuko with an intent expression and said, “Keep going.”

“Oh. Um,” Zuko said, thrown a little off-balance by the intensity of his gaze. Zuko glanced around the fire at the shadowed faces of the rest of the group and realized that they were all looking at him with the same expression. Even Azula, who was lounging back on her log and attempting to look disinterested, had quirked her head in the way she always did when she was actually listening to something. 

“My mother told me, um,” he said. “There was a story they used to tell in her village. Sometimes, Agni took some of his life force and split it in two, giving the halves to two separate benders. Those people would share the same force. Like they were…” Zuko thought back, remembered his mother’s fingers stroking through his hair, remembered her pulling him close and swaying back and forth. 

“Two halves of the same whole,” Zuko said. 

“What does that even mean?” Azula asked, head tilting even further. 

Zuko shrugged. “They just understand each other,” he said. “They were born to be together, to share the same inner flame.”

“Okay, now I really need to get a grasp on this whole inner flame thing.” Zuko started to turn to Sokka to ask what he meant, then recoiled when Sokka’s hand came up to his chest. Sokka pressed forward, leaning closer to spread his fingers flat against the thin fabric of Zuko’s shirt. “What’s it feel like?”

“Um,” Zuko said. He swallowed and hoped it wasn’t too loud as Sokka’s fingers prodded at his ribcage. “That’s not, um- that’s not the right place.”

Sokka looked at him curiously. Face burning, Zuko placed his own hand over Sokka’s and pushed it up, just to the right of Zuko’s heart. “It’s right, um. It’s right there.”

He could feel it now, pounding in his chest, flaring with each new press of Sokka’s fingers against his chest. He was acutely aware of everyone else watching them as Sokka sat there thoughtfully.

“I don’t feel anything,” he said after a moment, dropping his hand and pulling away.

Zuko released a silent, full breath. “Typically only other firebenders can sense it,” he said, feeling far calmer now that Sokka had quit touching him. 

Zuko glanced across the fire at her sister, meeting her gaze. She was looking at him with a heavy expression, lips twisted into a frown. Zuko held her stare for a moment longer, mouth dry, before he dropped his gaze back to the flames. 

“That’s a beautiful story, Zuko,” Ty Lee said. “I’d love to think it was real.” 

“I find it difficult to believe any story concerning spirits,” said Suki. “They don’t seem to meddle much in the affairs of mere mortals anymore.”

Sokka made a soft, amused sound beside Zuko, almost like he was biting back laughter. Suki looked at him across the flames, eyebrows raised. “Care to share with the group, Sokka?” she asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Sokka said. “It’s just that the spirits still like to fuck with humans. Like, a _lot_.” 

“And you’ve met so many spirits, Water Tribe?” Azula asked. 

“Yes,” Sokka said. Zuko might have thought he was joking if it wasn’t for the frank expression on his face, or the ease in his voice.

“Which ones?” Ty Lee asked, looking just as invested as she had in Zuko’s story.

Sokka visibly hesitated. A surprise, because Sokka never seemed to be uncertain of himself.

“Well,” he said, “I guess since Prince Zuko here shared such a lovely story with us, I suppose I can tell a story of my own. This one is completely true though, and about me, because I’m a narcissist.”

“Just spit it out,” Mai said. She had one arm still wrapped around Ty Lee and the other hanging close to Suki’s shoulder, occasionally brushing the fabric of her shirt. 

Sokka smiled faintly before his expression faded back to something more serious. “I wasn’t supposed to survive past my birth,” he said. The circle fell quiet, leaving the crackling fire in front of them and the crashing waves behind them the only sounds except for Sokka’s smooth voice. 

“The healers told me that I was hardly alive when I came into the world,” Sokka continued. “I wasn’t crying, or moving. I was barely breathing. They knew that I would only be able to survive on my own for a few minutes.” Sokka’s gaze drifted towards the fire, lips twisting into a small frown. “They tried to tell my mother, but she- she wouldn’t accept it. She got out of bed and took me to the spirit oasis.”

“What’s that?” Ty Lee asked. Her voice was hardly louder than the wind whistling gently in the trees behind them.

“It’s in the center of Agna Qel’a,” Sokka said, “this little patch of grass and a warm pond. It’s where the physical bodies of Tui and La exist here in our world. They take the form of two koi fish.”

Zuko felt like his inner flame was going wild all over again. “Tui and La?” he asked, unable to rouse much more than a whisper. “They have physical forms here?”

“Yes,” Sokka said. “The Northern Water Tribe protects them. So, my mother decided to bring me to them. She placed me in the water, and she prayed to both the spirits to save my life.” Sokka ducked his head low, strands of white hair falling against his dark skin. “Tui was the one who answered. They gave a piece of life force to me, to save me. My hair turned white, and when my mother pulled me out of the water, I started to cry.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Suki said, “Sokka, is that- is that true?”

Sokka nodded. “Somehow, yes,” he said. “I’m not the biggest fan of all of this spirit mumbo jumbo usually, but they’ve done me a fair bit of good.”

“So you have a piece of the literal moon spirit inside you,” Azula said. “But you can’t waterbend?” 

Sokka chuckled before Zuko could gather his wits enough to admonish his sister. “No,” he said. “Rotten luck, isn’t it? But I can still feel the moon like a waterbender can. Like, I know when it’s full or not, and when it is I feel-” He placed a hand over his chest, gazing thoughtfully up at the moon. “I guess it sort of feels like an inner flame, in a way.”

He lowered his gaze back to Zuko and smiled a little ruefully. His white hair seemed especially stark in the near-darkness. “You kind of married a weirdo,” he said. “I figured it was time you knew.”

Zuko stared back at him. Their knees were pressed flush together now, and Sokka was still looking at him, but Zuko had no idea what to say until Suki said, “That’s an incredible story, Sokka. Thank you for telling us.”

Sokka’s focus shifted to Suki. Zuko let out a small breath of air and looked away, unable to stomach whatever lovesick expressions they were exchanging.

“Thanks, Suks,” Sokka said. “So. Does anyone have anything that beats having their life saved by the spirit of the moon?”

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Then Ty Lee said, “One time my sister pushed me into a lake and I nearly drowned?” 

They went around the circle sharing stories, all of them much more lighthearted than Sokka’s had been. Zuko sat quietly and watched, eyes on the storyteller but attention focused almost entirely on Sokka beside him. Neither had moved their knees; in fact, Sokka had shifted so that a solid part of his thigh was pressed against Zuko’s as well. 

Zuko didn’t pull away this time. Instead, he sat and tried not to think about Sokka lying lifeless in some pond in the middle of the North Pole. 

Suki suggested they wrap up when Ty Lee started yawning. They all stood up, gathering their things, and Mai wrapped an arm around Ty Lee to keep her dozing girlfriend on her feet. Suki lingered long enough to make sure Azula was able to put out the fire on her own, and then they both went to follow the other two girls to the stairs.

Zuko stood up, holding back a wince as he stretched his locked knees out. He curled his bare toes into the sand, and then realized that Sokka hadn’t moved from his place on the log.

“Are you coming, Prince Sokka?” he asked. 

“Hm?” It was very dark on the beach without the fire to cast any light, so Zuko couldn’t make out Sokka’s expression as he turned his head away from the dying embers. “Oh. Yeah, sorry.”

He stood up, stretching his arms over his head. Zuko stepped over the log, picking his way through the sand to the base of the stairs carving a path up to the house's front door.

“I liked your story,” Sokka said.

Zuko paused with one foot on the wood. He turned to look at Sokka, who was slowly wandering over to join him on the steps.

“About the twin flames,” he said. “It was really interesting.”

“That’s just a children’s story,” Zuko said. He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “Thank you for sharing about, um. You know.”

Sokka’s silhouette tipped his head forward in a nod. “I’m not used to telling that story. Everyone I grew up with already knew about it. They thought I would be frail when I got older, because I was born so weak. I was hardly allowed to touch a weapon until after I was ten.” 

Zuko frowned. “That’s stupid,” he said. “You’re the farthest from _frail_ that I’ve ever seen.”

“Thank you, Prince Zuko.” Sokka sounded genuinely pleased with the compliment, which almost made up for the mortification Zuko felt crawling up his throat. “I sort of thought you’d already been told.”

“No,” Zuko said. “If my uncle knew, he didn’t breathe a word of it to me. I had no idea.”

“Some people find it off-putting,” Sokka said. 

Zuko paused, rocking back onto the heels of his feet. “That’s silly,” he said. “You’re still… you. You’ve just been blessed by a spirit. It’s not that different from my inner flame, and my connection with Agni.”

The waves crashed against the shore behind them, illuminated by the light of the moon. It shone off of Sokka’s hair, which looked almost silver under the glow.

“I hadn’t thought about it like that,” Sokka said.

Zuko brushed his hand over the railing. It was rough, worn from years of being caught in the harsh wind closest to the shore. “I appreciate you telling me.”

“I’m glad I did,” said Sokka.

Zuko smiled a little, even though he knew Sokka wouldn’t be able to see him. “We should go before Suki sends out a search party, Prince Sokka,” he said, climbing another step.

“Sokka.” Zuko paused to look back at him, confused. Sokka moved to stand on Zuko’s step, expression still too dark to make out. “You can just call me Sokka. I hate all that prince nonsense, anyways.”

“Oh,” Zuko said. His heart was hammering in his chest, pounding in time with his inner flame. He pressed his palm flat against the rough wood of the rail and said, “Alright. You can- I’d like for you to call me Zuko, then.”

“Alright,” Sokka said, his voice very soft.

The quiet was interrupted by a carrying shout. “You two had _better not_ be trying to sneak off again!” 

“She’s definitely going to kill us,” Sokka said, and began climbing the stairs. Zuko followed after him, squinting down at his feet to try and make sure he maintained his footing.

They had almost reached the house when Sokka stopped very abruptly again, laying a hand on Zuko’s shoulder to halt him as well. They were near enough the candles burning in the windows that Zuko could see Sokka’s face clearly now.

“One more thing,” Sokka said. “The thing about the twin flames- you really don’t think it’s real?”

“That’s like asking if soulmates are real.” When Sokka just continued looking at him, Zuko said a little incredulously, “You believe in them?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Sokka said. “I’m kind of part of the moon, aren’t I? Why shouldn’t I believe in soulmates?” 

“It’s a very romantic idea,” Zuko said. “But it doesn’t have a lot of substance.” 

“But it’s a _nice_ idea.”

“Sure, but my marriage was a symbol of peace and good faith. It was done out of duty to my people. I think that’s a lot nicer than any soulmate could ever be.”

“Really,” Sokka said. “So if soulmates were real, you would still choose to marry _me_ over them because of your duty?”

Zuko finally tore his gaze from Sokka’s, unable to stand the curiosity on his face. “Even if soulmates were real, I wouldn’t have one,” he said quietly. He hadn’t felt tired before, but now he could feel his limbs dragging with exhaustion. He didn’t want to talk anymore. “Goodnight, Sokka.”

He was halfway through the front door when Sokka said behind him, “Goodnight, Zuko.” Zuko didn’t pause, but continued through the foyer and towards his bedroom.

He didn’t stop to wait and see how long Sokka lingered under the light of the moon outside. 

X X X X X

An hour before they were due to depart, Azula came to find him. 

Zuko was sitting on one of the bottom steps in front of the house, staring out at the ocean. He glanced up when his sister approached from behind him and said, “May I join you?”

Zuko gestured to the empty space next to him. Azula sat, smoothing her skirt down carefully.

“You have a problem, you know,” she said.

“Do I?”

“The Water Tribe prince.”

“His name is Sokka.”

Azula pointed one sharp fingernail at him. “And there’s your problem,” she said. “He isn’t _Sokka_. He’s the next chief of the Northern Water Tribe, whom you’ve been married off to for political reasons.”

“I know, Azula.” 

“I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

Zuko nudged some sand off of the step in front of him. “I know,” he said. He wouldn’t do his sister the injustice of thinking her stupid enough to fool.

“I’d tell you you’re playing with fire, but you’d probably enjoy that.”

“There isn’t anything I can do about it.”

“You can have better taste in men.”

Zuko laughed softly. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “It isn’t as though I expected to find love.” 

Azula was silent for a moment. She was squinting out towards the ocean, mouth pressed into a tight frown.

“Whatever,” she said finally. “It isn’t like I actually care or anything.” 

“Of course not.” 

A fly buzzed near Azula’s ankle She bent down to swat at it. “For the record,” Azula said. “Although there’s much to be said about your taste- Prince Sokka should feel honored by this pairing.” 

She tilted her head just a bit to look at him- not smiling, not quite, but not looking at him in that suspicious way she had all throughout childhood when either of them had dared say a pleasant word to one another. Zuko was struck by how much older she looked than the last time he’d been here.

“Thank you, Azula,” he said. 

Azula twisted her glare back on the fly, which had circled back into her space. “Whatever,” she repeated.

In the distance, Zuko could see the boat they’d taken to the island docked, and servants scurrying on and off with luggage and supplies. Lo and Li were standing at the foot of the dock, watching over the proceedings with sharp scrutiny. 

Azula took a deep breath and stood up. “I’m going to go make sure Prince Sokka doesn’t try to take any of our silverware with him,” she said.

Zuko, left alone on the steps, looked out at the ocean. A breeze went by, ruffling his hair. The waves crashed against the shore.

X X X X X

They departed without much fanfare, because Azula couldn’t stand even the slightest display of emotion. She allowed Ty Lee to hug her, grudgingly accepted Suki’s nod, and complained in length to Zuko about their uncle’s continued attempts to exchange letters with her. 

She must have been in a good mood, though, because when Sokka suggested that she come visit the North Pole in the future, she’d sniffed and said, “Well, obviously. I need to ensure that my brother is being treated with the highest standards.”

She didn’t walk with them to the docks, but stood in the doorway to watch as they went down the stairs. Lo and Li were there to bow them onto the boat, sharing twin smiles as they told them they were welcome to return soon.

“Alright, I’ll say it,” Sokka said when they’d pulled away from the dock. They’d divided up between the two benches on the deck- Zuko sat with Mai and Ty Lee as before, while Sokka sprawled out beside Suki with one arm thrown over the back of the bench. Zuko tried not to look at the way his hand brushed her shoulder whenever he moved. “Those two are creepy as fuck.”

“Well-suited for Azula,” Mai said. 

They didn’t speak much on the trip back except for the occasional idle comment about the trip. Zuko figured that they were all as tired as he was; he spent his time trying not to slump against Mai, soaking in the warm sunlight and letting the steady rocking of the waves lull him into half-sleep.

They arrived to the royal family’s private dock, a small wooden structure partially hidden by the slope of a hill. Servants were waiting to hop on and gather their things for them, and on the shore stood Iroh, who greeted them all with a warm smile. 

“How was your journey back?” he asked as they stepped onto the path to join him.

“Just fine,” said Suki.

“Thank you so much for inviting us on this trip, Fire Lord Iroh,” Ty Lee said. 

“It was my pleasure, Ty Lee,” Iroh said. “I hope you all enjoyed yourselves. I’m certain that you would all like some time to freshen up; I’d love if you joined me for dinner tonight, so that I might hear all about your time on Ember Island.”

Sokka raised his arms over his head and yawned loudly. “I am going to take the longest nap of my life,” he said. As he walked past Zuko he patted him briefly on the shoulder and said with a smile, “See you at dinner, Zuko.”

“Uh, bye,” Zuko said, watching as Sokka wandered off with Suki, followed closely by Mai and Ty Lee.

He jumped when another hand touched his shoulder. Zuko turned to see his uncle grinning at him, a glint of something mischievous in his eyes. 

“And how was _your_ trip, Prince Zuko?” he asked.

Zuko felt his cheeks warm. “It was fine.”

“Oh, my dear boy.” Iroh took Zuko’s arm and guided him down the path, walking at a leisurely pace. “I want to hear _all_ the details.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sokka and Zuko: get off the boat without screaming at each other  
> Iroh: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Another quick update because y'all deserve it after that hiatus! Thank you all so much for the lovely comments, I really appreciate everyone's well-wishes <3 I'm doing a lot better, and will be even better after classes end next week.
> 
> Get some rest and remember that you are so, so loved! <3


	15. interlude ii

INTERLUDE II

_Sokka,_

_I told you you needn’t have worried so much- Aang and I have arrived safely to the Beifong estate, and yes, both of us still have all four of our limbs. I’m going to ignore how you don’t seem to realize I actually am quite an impressive waterbender and_ **_can_ ** _protect myself, and instead remind you that even when you are here to chaperone us, Aang does all of the flying anyways, and neither he nor Appa would let anything happen to me._

_Toph asked me to tell you hello. Actually, I think her exact words were “Tell boomerang-for-brains to get his bony ass out of the Fire Nation to come hang out.” I considered censoring that, but I think you out of anyone would appreciate Toph’s… passion._

_We’ve arranged to begin meeting with earthbending masters at the start of next week. I’m optimistic about it no matter what opinion Toph has about the list of potential masters. She’s still pursuing her little ‘hobby’ (you’ll be happy to know the Boulder is performing well), but I know she’s been frustrated at the progression of her own earthbending tutoring. If we play our cards right, perhaps we can persuade her parents to allow her to train with Aang._

_I hope things aren’t too terrible for you. It’s funny, actually- Toph says that she’s met Prince Zuko before, and actually seemed strangely fond of him, in her own way. I can’t imagine either of them being able to conduct a civil conversation with one another, but Toph might have just been saying that to be contradictory. I can never tell with her._

_Are they really forcing you to go on some strange island trip with the prince and his little posse? Try speaking with the Fire Lord to see if you can get out of it. I see no reason to subject yourself to their company when they have behaved so poorly towards you._

_I miss you. The Earth Kingdom is nice, but it’s much less interesting without you here._

_Write back soon,_

_Katara_

X X X X X

_Hi Sokka!_

_Katara and I are doing well in the Earth Kingdom. Toph, Appa, and Momo say hi! It’s weird being here without you._

_We’ve met with a few earthbending masters. They were all really nice and really good at earthbending, but… I don’t know. I’m trying not to be too picky, but I think the Fire Lord was right. I feel like the universe is trying to guide me towards a teacher, but I just can’t figure out who it’s supposed to be._

_We’re going to watch Toph practice tonight (you know what I mean). I wish you could be here. Katara misses you a lot. So do I!_

_I hope you’re having fun. Tell Prince Zuko I said hi!_

_See you soon (hopefully),_

_Aang :)_

X X X X X

_Hey stupid,_

_I hired a scribe so I could write this, so fuck off with the blind jokes. I can’t believe you got married without inviting me. I had to hear about it from a royal announcement or whatever. Apparently you married Prince Zuko- I know him. Be nice to him, loser._

_\- Toph_

X X X X X

_Sokka,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I’m sure there’s a reason for the continued lack of response I’m receiving from you, even though your sister has informed me that you are in regular communication with both her and Aang._

_Fire Lord Iroh has informed me that since your trip to Ember Island, you and Prince Zuko seem to be getting along better. I’m very grateful for that, and I hope it’s been making your time in the Fire Nation that much more rewarding. If you open yourself up to it, I think you’ll find there is a lot to learn by immersing yourself in another culture._

_Business is as usual at the North Pole. Bato and Gran Gran send their love. I think Kinuk is bored without you to spar with, though he will never admit it._

_I understand if you’re still upset with me for how I handled the marriage. I was only trying to do what was best for you and our people. I hope you can understand that._

_Stay safe,_

_Dad_

X X X X X

_Sokka,_

_So far we’ve met with three earthbending tutors, but Aang didn’t seem to particularly like any of them. I can understand- they were all very… stiff. I can tell he’s trying not to hurt the Beifong’s feelings, but I don’t think their list will prove to be very successful._

_We’re taking a trip to Ba Sing Se for a few days. Toph’s parents aren’t allowing her to go without a chaperone, which she refuses to allow, so things have been tense here. I’m still looking forward to being able to see the city._

_I’m glad things are going better with Prince Zuko. I still caution you to maintain some distance until you’re sure he can be trusted. You never know._

_Try not to get into any international scandals._

_Miss you,_

_Katara_

_P.S. Write back to Dad, won’t you?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mini update in the middle of my finals week :) These are just a few letters written to Sokka over the course of the story. The next chapter will be the beginning of part three to this story, and I'm super pumped for it.
> 
> I hope you're all doing well! I'm very behind on replying to comments but I really, really appreciate each and every one. Take care of yourselves <3


	16. sokka viii

SOKKA VIII

Sokka didn’t realize the extent of the anonymity he’d enjoyed on Ember Island until he returned to Caldera. There had been a much smaller staff of servants ready to wait on him hand and foot on the island, which meant there were less people to practically grovel at his heels every time he tried to go on a walk. Now back in the heart of the Fire Nation Sokka found himself just as frustrated at the way people behaved around him as before. 

At least he had more people to actually converse with now. Mai and Ty Lee didn’t live at the palace, but they were there often enough that it felt like it. Sokka often found them lounging in various parts of the palace, sometimes with Suki, to whom they’d apparently taken a liking. 

He also saw Zuko much more often than he had before. Zuko had, apparently, put serious effort into avoiding Sokka prior to their trip. Where a month ago Sokka might have seen him once or twice a week, they now crossed paths several times a day. Zuko seemed to be kept far more busy than Sokka was; often Sokka would only get a glimpse of the other prince as he walked with his uncle or a group of advisors, but now he always spared a moment to nod or smile a bit shyly at Sokka as he passed. 

They didn’t often get a chance to speak for very long, though. Almost a week had gone by since they’d arrived back from Ember Island when Sokka realized with a jolt that he hadn’t had a real conversation with the prince since their first day back in Caldera, and that Sokka actually kind of missed speaking to him every day. He’d certainly gotten accustomed to Zuko’s dry wit during their vacation. 

Sokka spent most of his time in the palace alone trying to find places to hide away from the servants. He’d grown to enjoy the gardens- the closest thing they had to them at the North Pole was the spirit oasis, which wasn’t a place Sokka frequented very often. 

One of his most recent finds was a small pond in the heart of the gardens that was mostly hidden from sight by trees and flowering bushes. Sokka spent several minutes carefully ensuring that he wouldn’t be seen by any of the palace staff walking by, then flopped down on his back to look up at the sky. It was clear and blue; the sun shone brightly down on him, warming his bare shoulders and the tip of his nose. Sokka closed his eyes, feeling the heat press against his eyelids. He curled his fingers into the grass underneath him, soaking it all in.

“Oh.”

Sokka blinked his eyes open. He tilted his head up to find Zuko standing there, staring down at him with a startled expression.

“Prince Sokka,” he said. He was wearing what looked like very formal robes, crimson and gold with far too many layers for this kind of heat. He’d tied his hair up into his usual topknot, but several strands had escaped the tight style to frame his temples.

Sokka quirked his lips up into a smile. “Just Sokka,” he said. He pushed himself up into a seated position.

“Sokka,” Zuko corrected. He stood there for a moment longer, tugged on the gilded sleeve of his robes. Glanced at the pond, then Sokka’s face, then away again. “I’m so sorry for intruding. I’ll leave you be.”

“Wait,” Sokka said before Zuko could turn and leave. “It’s fine. Did you need something?” Zuko’s eyes moved to the pond once more, and Sokka realized that he might not be the only one in search of a private hideaway. “Oh. Oh, sorry, did you-? I can totally go if you want-”

“No,” Zuko said, just as quickly as Sokka had stopped him. “No, it’s- you’re fine.”

Sokka felt his smile soften. He gestured to the grass next to him. Zuko ducked his head as he went to lower himself down beside Sokka.

“Thanks,” Zuko said, looking vaguely embarrassed.

“So, who are you hiding from?” Sokka asked.

Zuko folded his hands in his lap. “My uncle,” he said. “He wants me to have tea with him tonight. I’ve been in meetings all day, though, and it becomes a little… tedious.” 

“You seem to have a lot of meetings,” Sokka said. “What are they about?”

“They’re actually Lu Ten’s. I fill in for him as needed, and make sure he’s getting all the information he needs while he’s on his peace tour. I’m kind of an… overpaid scribe.”

“Cool,” Sokka said, because he’s always been such a _wonderful_ conversationalist. “Lu Ten’s your cousin, right?”

Zuko smiled, small and fond. “Yes,” he said. “It will be nice to have him home. Uncle won’t need me to fill in as company.”

Sokka frowned, because Iroh had seemed every part the doting uncle to Zuko and not just a man looking for a replacement for an absent son, but before he could say anything his attention was caught by something rustling in the reeds at the opposite end of the pond. He watched with surprise as a small beak poked its way through the leaves, followed by an even smaller pair of beady eyes.

“What in Tui’s name are those?” Sokka asked as a small animal wriggled out from the safety of the plants, followed closely by two more emerging seemingly out of nowhere. 

“Turtleducks.” Zuko was watching the birds closely as they swam across the pond in their direction. The side of his face that Sokka could see had softened considerably; one of the turtleducks quacked as it drew near and his lips curved into an easy smile. 

“I didn’t even know this place had animals.”

“They sometimes hide around strangers,” Zuko said. 

“They seem to like you,” said Sokka, watching as Zuko leaned forward and offered a hand to the birds. Two of them broke off from the small crowd that had gathered to poke curiously at his fingers for a moment before butting their tiny heads against him. 

“I come out to feed them once in awhile. They think I have food. Hey,” Zuko said to one of the turtleducks that had nipped at his thumb with its beak. “Don’t be rude.” 

A few of the other turtleducks, obviously quite familiar with Zuko, swam over to let him lightly stroke the top of their heads. His movements were impossibly gentle, his soft smile fond. When he’d first met him, Sokka had thought Zuko’s scar would force his expression into a permanent scowl. Now he knew better- Zuko’s face was very expressive when he lowered his guard a little bit. 

Almost a full minute of silence passed before Zuko drew his hand back and looked at Sokka, lips twisting into a self-conscious frown. “What?”

“Nothing,” Sokka said. “Sorry, that was just ridiculously adorable.”

Zuko immediately went a pale shade of pink. “They are pretty cute,” he said, glancing back at the quacking turtleducks in the pond.

“Sure,” Sokka said, staring at the way Zuko’s pale skin almost glowed in the bright sunlight. He blinked, trying to shake himself out of his stupor, and said, “There’s another one.”

“What?”

“A hobby.” Sokka gestured at the birds in the pond. “You feed the turtleducks.”

“Not as much as I should,” Zuko said. “I’ve been too busy recently.” He looked at the turtleducks for another moment, then turned back to Sokka. “They really haven’t got turtleducks in the North Pole?” 

Sokka snorted. “It’s all ice up there.”

“Oh.” Zuko’s gaze drifted back to the water. His cheeks were still red. “Right.”

Sokka bit down hard on his bottom lip, then said, “We’ve got otter penguins, though. Aang likes to ride them.”

“Ride them?” Zuko asked, looking amused.

“Right? I thought it was weird too,” Sokka said with a grin. “It’s actually really fun though. And I’ve got a friend who has a polar bear dog, she’s supposed to have pups after the solstice. We can go and visit them, if you’d like.”

“That sounds… fun.” Zuko’s smile was still too cautious for Sokka’s liking, like he was expecting Sokka to snatch back the offer as soon as he expressed any genuine interest in it. Sokka rubbed his arm and tried not to let his discomfort show on his face.

“Totally,” he said.

The turtleducks were splashing water at each other. Zuko dried his fingers off on his robes and pushed himself to his feet.

“You don’t have to go,” Sokka said, worried he’d done something to scare Zuko off.

Zuko smiled. “Thank you, Sokka,” he said, “but I really should go and find my uncle. I can’t actually hide from his invitation to tea.”

“Okay,” Sokka said. “Well, hey, if you ever-” He waved a hand vaguely at the pond. Zuko’s expression shifted into something a touch more smug.

“If I ever…?” he asked.

“Oh, shut up,” Sokka said, rolling his eyes. “You can’t be in meetings all the time. Surely the Fire Lord can spare you for a few hours so you can just hang out a bit.”

Zuko tugged on his sleeve again, then smoothed it out. “You want to… hang out?”

“Well, yeah,” Sokka said. He felt uncomfortable all over again, like he was saying the wrong thing. It wasn’t a very familiar feeling for him, nor one he enjoyed. “We hung out on Ember Island, yeah?”

“Yes,” Zuko said, “but I thought-” He hesitated a moment, and then lowered his head in a shallow bow. “Certainly. We can do that.”

He turned and began to walk away. Sokka was just settling into his brewing embarrassment when Zuko spun around on his heel to face him once more and said, haltingly, “I feed them in the mornings.” He made an aborted wave towards the birds in the pond, who were quacking forlornly at his departure. “The turtleducks. You’re welcome to join me.”

Sokka leaned back on his hands and peered up at Zuko. “Alright,” he said with a small grin. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning then, Zuko.”

Zuko’s face was flushed in the heat. He nodded again and said, “I should- I’m going to go now.”

He turned and left. Sokka watched him disappear into the garden, and then shifted his focus back to the pond. The turtleducks were floating around, quacking their protest occasionally every time they strayed too close to Sokka. 

“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “You’d better get used to me. I think we all have a lot of time on our hands, my friends.”

X X X X X

Sokka thought he was starting to get the hang of Fire Nation fashion. He’d never been able to wear short sleeves for very long outside, so the typical tunics of casual Fire Nation wear had grown on him. His grandmother would be aghast at the layers he’d shed, but Sokka was finally becoming accustomed to the heat. 

It helped that Fire Lord Iroh often sent new clothes to Sokka’s room as “welcome presents.” Sokka was walking down the hall of one of the administrative sections of the castle, plucking at the threading of his new belt to try and figure out if it had been woven with real gold, when a voice called, “Prince Sokka.”

Sokka turned. There were several groups of servants and other palace employees wandering about the hallway, but Sokka recognized only one of them- Risao, the advisor who had met him and his father when they’d arrived to Caldera, approaching him with a smile.

“It’s a pleasure to see you, my lord,” he said, dipping his head forward in a bow.

“Yeah, you too,” Sokka said. Risao had been the first semi-pleasant face he’d seen in the Fire Nation; Sokka was pleased to see him again. “How’ve you been?”

“Perfectly well.” Risao clasped his hands together, losing them in the folds of his brown robes. “I’ve been meaning to meet with you to ask about your transition to Caldera City. How has life at the palace been treating you?”

“It’s great,” Sokka said. “Everyone’s really, uh- nice here.” That wasn’t that far of a stretch; despite the formalities of the Fire Nation, its citizens had been nothing but polite to him. “It’s different from home, but I’ve been enjoying myself.”

“I’m certain it is,” Risao said, dark eyes amused. “I’m not sure if I told you this, but I was lucky enough to visit the Northern Water Tribe several years ago with the first peace envoy sent by the Fire Lord. I was quite captivated by your city and its people.”

“Really?” Sokka asked, surprised. He could remember that first group of Fire Nation advisors that had arrived to invite his father to discussions of peace. Sokka had been convinced that it was just a ploy to launch an attack from the inside, and had spent most of the visit trying to stay close to his father’s side, both hands curled tight around his spear _just in case_. 

“Yes. I must say, I’m very pleased with how much progress has been made towards peace these last few years.”

“Agreed,” said Sokka, inclining his head towards Risao. 

A group of female servants scurried past them, their whispers growing louder as they passed Sokka and eyed him with furtive, wide-eyed expressions. Risao’s head twisted to watch them go, before he turned back to Sokka with a knowing grin.

“They’ll grow accustomed to you soon,” he said. “Young girls can be quite captivated by anything exotic.”

“Oh,” Sokka said, scratching at his wrist and looking after the direction the girls had disappeared in. “I don’t mind. I’d probably look at me too, if I were them.”

“Hm,” said Risao. He tilted his head in a little closer and said, “Did you enjoy your time on Ember Island?”

“Yes,” Sokka said. He was beginning to grow impatient with this conversation, and with Risao’s questioning. It wasn’t like he had anywhere to _go_ , but there was only so long Sokka could stomach these kinds of pleasantries.

“That’s wonderful,” Risao said. 

“Sokka!”

Sokka turned, feeling relief blossom in his chest at the sight of familiar dark hair hurrying towards him. He grinned as Zuko drew to a stop near him. 

“There you are.” Zuko’s face was flushed, like he’d walked a great distance, and there was a certain energy in the way he stood that told Sokka he had something he wanted to say. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I- Risao.” Zuko straightened when he noticed his uncle’s advisor standing there.

“Prince Zuko.” Risao swooped into a low bow, dark goatee swinging.

“My apologies,” said Zuko, glancing from Risao to Sokka. “Am I interrupting-?”

“Not at all, my lord,” said Risao. He stood back up and smiled at them both, eyes lingering on Zuko. “I ought to be on my way. Prince Sokka, I hope to see you around the palace.”

“You as well,” Sokka said, nodding as Risao bowed once more to the two of them before turning to sweep off down the hall. 

Zuko watched him go, eyebrows pinched together. “What did he want?”

“Oh, the usual,” Sokka said. “Just another advisor trying to score political points with the future chief. Why?”

Zuko shrugged one shoulder like he was trying to shake something off. “Nothing,” he said. “Risao is one of my uncle’s most trusted advisors. He’s been at the palace since my grandfather was on the throne.”

“Yes, yes,” Sokka said, “super interesting.” He waved his hand in the air to dismiss all the boring conversation. “What’s the big news?”

“Big news?” Zuko raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean?”

Sokka stared slack-jawed as Zuko turned and walked away. He followed after a moment’s pause, hurrying to catch up.

“No, you don’t get to do that,” he said, falling into step beside Zuko. “What is it?”

“I don’t know. I think I quite like watching you squirm.”

“No fair,” Sokka whined, poking Zuko in the elbow a few times. “Secrets are so lame!”

Zuko pulled his arm away from Sokka. He looked irritated, but Sokka could tell from the slant of his lips that he found this all a little _too_ amusing.

“You’re annoying,” he said.

“You’re a jerk,” Sokka shot back.

Zuko rolled his eyes. When he looked at Sokka again, his golden eyes almost looked like they were sparkling in the sunlight.

“I’ve found a master to teach you swordsmanship,” he said. 

Sokka’s mouth fell open. “No way!” he said, so loudly one of the servants passing by startled and dropped a full laundry basket.

“Sorry,” Zuko said to her. He caught Sokka’s arm and tugged him down a side hallway, stopping in the relative privacy and drawing them close to a quiet alcove. A window set high into the wall peeked out at the green foliage of the flowering gardens.

“Who?” Sokka asked.

“His name is Piandao,” Zuko said. “He trained me when I was a child. He’s agreed to come back to Caldera City to speak with you.”

“Holy shit,” Sokka said, beaming at Zuko. “Zuko, you’re the _best_.”

Zuko tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear, gaze fixed somewhere behind Sokka. “Well,” he said. “He actually hasn’t quite agreed to _teach_ you yet. He said he’d come and speak to you to see if you’re worthy of being taught. He’s one of the greatest masters of swordsmanship in the world.”

Sokka frowned. “But what if he says I’m not worthy?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Zuko said. “Of course you are.”

“Because I’m a prince, right?” Sokka said. “I don’t know if that’ll be enough to get me past an actual master.”

Zuko’s face twisted into a scowl. “No, dumbass,” he said. “Because you’ve clearly got natural talent with weaponry, and you’re a good man. There’s no reason for Piandao to turn you down as a pupil.”

Sokka stared at Zuko in startled silence for far longer than was probably polite. When Zuko started physically turning his head to find things to focus on that weren’t Sokka’s face, Sokka shook himself off enough to joke weakly, “You’re only saying that because we’re married.”

“That was never enough to make me nice to you before.”

Sokka touched Zuko’s arm, finally drawing the other boy’s gaze back to him. Sokka smiled, trying to pour as much gratitude as he could into the expression.

“Thank you, Zuko,” he said. “This means a lot.” 

Zuko blinked. They were standing quite close together, Sokka suddenly realized; Zuko was just a little shorter than Sokka, and so near to him that Sokka had to tilt his head down to look at him properly.

“How’s Suki?” Zuko asked a bit abruptly.

Sokka let go of Zuko’s arm and shuffled back a few inches, not wanting to overstep. The Fire Nation seemed to be a tad pricklier when it came to touch than the Water Tribe. The last thing Sokka wanted to do was make Zuko uncomfortable. “Suki?” Sokka asked, surprised by the question. Truthfully, he hadn’t seen Suki for a couple of days; the last time they’d spoken had been when she’d been hanging out with Mai and Ty Lee, and their conversation hadn’t been about anything special. “She’s doing well.”

Zuko nodded. His eyes were fixed on his feet once more. “I’m glad,” he said. “I should be going. I just wanted to let you know that Piandao will be here early next week.”

“Alright,” Sokka said. “Thank you, Zuko. Really.”

When Zuko smiled, it looked a little off. He dipped his head towards Sokka and said, “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” Sokka said as Zuko stepped past him, back towards the hallway they’d left. Sokka watched him go with a frown, wondering what he’d done wrong. 

Even when Sokka was _trying_ to be polite, he always managed to mess it up, apparently.

X X X X X

Sokka paced back and forth in front of the closed door. It was early evening, and the fires were burning high in their sconces on the wall. The Fire Lord had pointed Sokka to this room after dinner, and Sokka, encouraged by Zuko’s small smile as they’d parted ways after the meal, had worked up enough courage to go. 

Now he was beginning to regret that decision. He’d been standing in the hallway for the better part of half an hour now, trying to bring himself to knock on the door. His palms and the backs of his knees were damp, and his throat felt dry. 

“This is ridiculous,” Sokka said to himself as he spun on his heel to pace in the other direction again. “It’s just a dude who’s pretty good with a sword. I can do this.”

He stopped in front of the door, turning to face it. He took a deep breath, then raised a hand to knock on the wood. 

“Come in,” called a voice from inside before Sokka’s fist even made contact.

Sokka’s cheeks warmed. Before he could lose anymore of his nerve, he opened the door, stepping in and closing it after him.

The room he found himself in was small and decorated similarly to his own in the deep crimsons and golds of the Fire Nation guest chambers. There was a fire flickering in the fireplace, casting flickering shadows about the space. A man sat a desk against the far side of the room, his back to Sokka so that all he could see was the tight dark bun atop his head. 

“Prince Sokka,” the man said without turning around. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Sokka stepped further into the room, footsteps silent against the plush carpeting. “Uh,” he said. “Master Piandao?”

The man was doing calligraphy. Sokka watched the elegant sweep of his arm as he drew the characters on the thick parchment spread across his desk. “Yes.”

Sokka scratched at the inside of his wrist, trying to stay still and not fidget too much. His father had always told him he fidgeted too much when he was nervous. “Zuko- I mean, Prince Zuko said you’d be able to teach me how to use a sword?”

“Prince Zuko is one of my best students,” Piandao said. He dipped his brush back into the pot of ink holding his parchment flat. “I told him I would come and speak with you. I still need to determine whether or not you are worthy of being taught.”

“Oh,” Sokka said. “Um- how do you decide that, exactly?”

“I think I have a good idea of what my decision will be,” Piandao said. “I have been asked by royalty in each of the three great nations to teach their strongest young warriors at some point or another. Nearly every one is the same- physically strong, skilled in strategy, confident that they deserve to learn from the master. Tell me, Prince Sokka- what makes you any different from them?”

Sokka felt his shoulders slump forward. “Nothing, I guess,” he said. He watched Piandao’s hand as it swooped gracefully through the characters, the elegant lines of his shoulders cut by flickering shadows from the fireplace. “I’m not certain there’s anything that makes me special aside from my title. I’ve trained my hardest to prove to my people that I’m not weak, but outside of that, I’m not sure I have what it takes to truly lead them.”

“You’re not doing a very good job of selling yourself, Prince Sokka,” Piandao said. His hand had paused instead of continuing onto the next character.

“I know.” Sokka took a deep breath, then lowered himself to his knees. He bowed his head forward. He could feel his heart in his throat, pounding like a drum. “I know that I have a lot to learn. Zuko told me that you would only accept me as a student if you deemed me worthy. But truthfully, I don’t know if I am worthy.”

A few seconds passed where the only sounds in the room were the flickering flames. Then, Piandao said, “Hmm. I see.”

Sokka heard a chair creak. He looked up to see Piandao stand and turn to face him. He was younger than Sokka had anticipated, with a dark goatee and heavy eyebrows. 

“Well,” Piandao said. He looked down at Sokka for a moment, then held a hand out to him. Sokka’s heart soared back into his chest. “Let’s find out together just how worthy you are, Prince Sokka.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> master piandao (▰˘◡˘▰)
> 
> Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate! I know this year was probably very different for a lot of people, and I'm sending so much love to everyone reading this. I appreciate all of you and your support, and I hope you've been able to take some time to take care of yourselves recently <3


End file.
